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General and Western Jurisdictional Delegate Nomination Process

Nomination forms sent to the Conference Office by Wednesday, April 15, 2026 will be included in the Pre-Conference Handbook.

The 2028 General Conference will be held in Minneapolis, MN from May 8-18, 2028 and the Jurisdictional Conference will be held July 12-15, 2028, hosted by the California-Nevada Conference. This year at annual conference, we’ll be electing our General and Western Jurisdictional Delegates.

The General Conference, the top policy-making body of The United Methodist Church, meets once every four years to consider the business and mission of the global church.  The conference can revise church law, as well as adopt resolutions on current moral, social, public policy and economic issues. It also approves plans and budgets for church-wide programs.

Delegates should be able to commit to the entirety of the General Conference in Minneapolis and must be able to attend the Western Jurisdictional Conference. In addition, there will pre-meetings with the other members of the delegation before the General and Jurisdictional Conferences. After the Conference, delegation members are expected to offer follow-up presentations and reports at the 2028 and 2029 PNW Annual Conference Sessions, at a minimum.

It is expected that the first-elected lay and clergy delegates to General Conference take on additional leadership responsibilities for the delegation, including coordinating meetings with other groups like the jurisdictional delegations. It is customary for the lead to alternate between the first-electeds, with the lay delegate in charge for 2028.

Travel expenses for full delegates will be reimbursed based on a per diem set by the General and Jurisdictional Conferences. Expenses for other members of the delegation may be supported by the PNW Connectional Table. The full size of the delegation being sent to the 2028 General Conference is yet to be determined.

It is an honor and responsibility to serve as a delegate. It provides you the opportunity to be involved in the denomination and work with United Methodists throughout the nation and world, praying, worshipping together and deciding legislation.

Clergy Nomination Form
Lay Nomination Form

Election Process

When we gather in June, we will elect our delegates to the General and Western Jurisdictional Conferences following the procedures detailed in our conference rules, as found below.

Delegates will be elected as they receive the support of a majority (50% +1) of eligible votes. For more information about voter eligibility, review the document linked below.

Voting Rights of Clergy & Lay Members to Annual Conference

Delegation Details

For the 2028 General and Western Jurisdictional Conferences, the Pacific Northwest will elect a delegation including: 

  • General Conference Delegates
    (1 Clergy, 1 Lay)
  • General Conference Alternates
    (1 Clergy, 1 Lay)
  • Western Jurisdiction Delegates
    (4 Clergy, 4 Lay)
  • Western Jurisdiction Alternates
    (2 Clergy, 2 Lay)

General Conference Delegates and Alternates are seated as delegates to the WJ Conference in addition to those serving as WJ Delegates. WJ Delegates may be seated at GC if the delegate and alternate are not available or unable to be on the floor at a particular time. The delegation works to make sure all voices are heard and everyone is able to contribute in a meaningful way.

If you have questions, please email Patrick Scriven and he’ll respond or direct your question as appropriate.

Role of Delegate

General Conference delegates are assigned to a legislative committee. They study resolutions that have been submitted for changes to the Book of Discipline. They divide into work groups to summarize and present information to the entire delegation to address legislation. With the jurisdictional conference, the election of new bishops takes priority in addition to providing direction to the ministry priorities of the jurisdiction.

Responsibilities of Delegate

Delegates should be prepared to invest themselves fully in the General and Western Jurisdictional Conferences. There is a significant commitment of both conference meetings plus regular meetings in advance with thousands of pages to review to prepare for legislation. Meetings at the conferences can start as early as 8 a.m. and can last until 9 p.m. or later.

Qualifications of Delegates

Clergy

According to The Book of Discipline, 2020/24, the qualifications for clergy delegates are as follows:

¶36. Article IV.—The clergy delegates to the General Conference and to the jurisdictional or central conference shall be elected from the clergy members in full connection and shall be elected by the clergy members of the annual conference or provisional annual conference who are deacons and elders in full connection, associate members, and those provisional members who have completed all of their educational requirements and local pastors who have completed course of study or an M. Div. degree and have served a minimum of two consecutive years under appointment immediately preceding the election.

Lay

According to The Book of Discipline, 2020/24, the qualifications for lay delegates are as follows:

¶ 37. Article V.— The lay delegates to the General and jurisdictional or central conferences shall be elected by the lay members of the annual conference or provisional annual conference without regard to age, provided such delegates shall have been professing members of The United Methodist Church for at least two years next preceding their election, and shall have been active participants in The United Methodist Church for at least four years next preceding their election, and are members thereof within the annual conference electing them at the time of holding the General and jurisdictional or central conferences.

Conference Rules

Rule XI, Sec. 4.

Procedures Relating to Election of Delegates to General and Jurisdictional Conferences

(a)  At least ninety days before the Annual Conference session at which elections are to be held, instructions and nomination forms approved by the Connectional Table shall be made available on the Conference website by the Director of Connectional Ministries to members of the Annual Conference for the nomination of lay and clergy delegates to General and Jurisdictional Conferences.

(b)  Lay members may nominate only those candidates for election as lay delegates who meet the qualifications established by the General Conference and printed in the Discipline (¶37), and who indicate their willingness to serve if elected by signing the nomination form. Clergy members may nominate only those candidates for election as clergy delegates who meet the qualifications established by the General Conference and printed in the Discipline (¶36), and who indicate their willingness to serve if elected by signing the nomination form. The Board of Ordained Ministry shall furnish a list of clergy eligible to serve as delegates.

(c)  Nomination forms sent to the Conference Office by April 1, preceding the Conference Session shall be arranged alphabetically and duplicated in the Pre-Conference Handbook. Nomination forms returned after April 15, and before June 1, will be duplicated and distributed to the conference members at the time of their registration for the Annual Conference session.

(d)  All candidates for election as lay delegates shall be introduced at the Lay Session of the Annual Conference. All candidates for election as clergy delegates shall be introduced at the Ministerial Executive Session of the Annual Conference.

(e)  On the opening day of the session, a final opportunity shall be afforded for lay and clergy nominations from the floor by name only, without additional comments or introductions. Regular nomination forms, signed by those nominated from the floor, shall be filed immediately with the Conference Secretary. Nothing in this procedure shall keep any eligible person from being named on any ballot.

(f)  At the sessions of the Annual Conference, nominated lay and clergy candidates are encouraged to present promotional material for distribution describing their sense of call to the ministry of serving as a delegate, limited to a single sheet no larger than 8 1/2 x 11 inches printed through private arrangements by the candidate or sponsors. Promotional materials shall not be distributed after balloting has begun.

(g)  The outcome of each Lay and Clergy ballot shall be clearly announced before the next ballot is taken.

(h)  During the sessions of the Annual Conference there shall be no demonstrations, electioneering, placards, or campaigning on the floor of the Conference.