THE PETITION PROCESS FOR THE ELECTION OF
THE 11th BISHOP OF THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF MICHIGAN

On Tuesday, March 19, 2019, the Standing Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan announced that there no petition applications were received.

Purpose of the Petition Process

The primary method through which candidates are called to be candidates for election in this diocese is through the work of discernment carried out by the Search and Nomination Committee. This committee, consisting of a strong group of clergy and lay persons representative of the diocese, is charged with forming a slate of two to five candidates for election to serve as the 11th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan.

We recognize, however, that there may be rare circumstances that would cause a person who has not been part of the discernment process conducted by the Search and Nomination Committee, or was not identified as a final candidate by the Search and Nomination Committee, to be called through the petition process. The petition process is akin to the prior practice of having “nominations from the floor” with two major differences:

1. The petition process allows time for a background check of all petition candidates, which was not possible for nominations from the floor; and
2. Petition candidates are added to the final slate of candidates in time for them to become known to the Diocese through the required published information and participation in the walkabouts.

Eligibility for Nomination through the Petition Process
All bishops and priests in good standing within The Episcopal Church and who are 30 years of age or older are eligible to be nominated through the petition process.

Timetable for the Petition Process
Petition process opens: March 4, 2019
Petition process closes: March 18, 2019 at 5:00 PM ET

Requirements for Petition Process Candidates
The following documents are required from all petition process candidates. All required items must be emailed to the Standing Committee at petitions@edomi.org by 5:00 PM on March 18, 2019.

1. Completed petition Nomination Form
   1. The petition nomination form must be signed by at least eight (8) lay delegates to the Special Convention held on June 1, 2019 and/or clergy (electors) of the Convention.
   2. The information and signatures for all eight nominators must be included in one petition nomination form.
2. Completed consent to nomination form
3. Petition application form, including the required essay questions
4. An autobiographical sketch (limit of 300 words)
5. An updated OTM Profile
6. Current resume
7. Current photograph (color, head and shoulders, suitable for publication)

In addition to these requirements, persons nominated by petition must successfully complete the same background check as required for all candidates.

As noted above, all items must be emailed to petitions@edomi.org by 5:00 PM on March 18, 2019. Any packets received after 5:00 PM on March 18, 2019 will not be considered.

The Standing Committee
Episcopal Diocese of Michigan