Episcopal Diocese gets new bishop

North West Texas elects a new Bishop.

It was short and sweet, and void of drama, like most thought it would be. After two hours and just two ballots, the Rev. J. Scott Mayer was named Bishop Elect of the Episcopal Diocese of Northwest Texas late Saturday morning.

The election was held inside the sanctuary of St. Paul's-on-the-Plains Episcopal Church and simulcast on a large projection screen inside the church's parish hall.

Mayer was the only of the four nominees with local roots, and the only nominee in attendance due to his membership in the diocese as current rector of the Church of the Heavenly Rest in Abilene.

The first ballot earned him 34 of the 47 clergy votes, but only 65 of the 141 votes cast by the lay electorate - six shy of the necessary majority. But the results of the second ballot weren't even close: 38 votes from the clergy order, and 90 from the lay.

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