Two ballot votes for the top leadership position of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) failed to yield a new president June 14 during the 2016 annual meeting in St. Louis, Mo.
An initial election that included North Carolina pastor J.D. Greear (2,601 votes, 44.97 percent), Tennessee pastor Steve Gaines (2,552 votes, 44.10 percent) and Louisiana pastor David Crosby (583 votes, 10.08 percent) led to a subsequent runoff election between the top two candidates.
A candidate must receive 50 percent of the vote plus one to be elected president.
Neither Greear nor Gaines successfully garnered the required percentage in the runoff vote due to 108 ballots being ruled invalid by the SBC tellers committee. Greear received 2,306 votes (47.8 percent) and Gaines gained 2,410 (49.96 percent).
SBC representatives said a race this tight is unprecedented in recent history.
A revote is scheduled for the morning business session on Wednesday, June 15, according to chief parliamentarian Barry McCarty.
Vice presidential elections must take place after the presidential vote, according to convention bylaws. As such, those elections are delayed until the presidential seat has been filled.