The Rev. Scott Benhase was elected September 12 as tenth bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia.

Benhase, 52, rector of St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C. (Diocese of Washington), was elected on the second ballot out of a field of six nominees. He received 76 votes of 146 cast in the lay order and 58 of 103 cast in the clergy order. An election on that ballot required 74 in the lay order and 53 in the clergy order. The election took place during the diocese’s 188th annual convention at the Dubose Porter Center, a business and training center in Dublin, Georgia.

Under the canons of the Episcopal Church (III.11.4), a majority of bishops exercising jurisdiction and diocesan Standing Committees must consent to Benhase’s ordination as bishop within 120 days of receiving notice of the election. Providing he receives the required consents, Benhase will succeed Georgia’s ninth bishop, Henry I. Louttit, who has served the diocese since January 1995. The ordination and consecration is set for January 23, 2010 at the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center.

Benhase, who graduated from Virginia Theological Seminary, served congregations in Indiana, North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia before being called to St. Alban’s in 2006. He is married to Kelly Jones Benhase and they have three children, John, 21; Charley, 18 and Mary Grace, 16. More information about Benhase, including a video presentation and answers to the search committee’s questions, is available here.

The other nominees were: The Rev. William Patrick Gahan, The Rev. Frank S. Logue, The Very Rev. C. Dean Taylor, The Very Rev. William Willoughby III, and The Rev. Stephen E. Zimmerman. The Diocese of Georgia covers the southern two thirds of the state of Georgia, including Savannah, Augusta, Albany, Thomasville, Valdosta, and Brunswick. [Episcopal News Service]

Ballot Results

First Ballot	Clergy	Laity		Second Ballot	Clergy	Laity
Benhase	42	62		Benhase	58	76
Gahan	19	42		Gahan	17	41
Logue	25	25		Logue	25	24
Taylor	3	2		Taylor	1	0
Willoughby	10	6		Willoughby	1	3
Zimmerman	5	9		Zimmerman	1	2

Needed to Elect: 53 Clergy and 74 Laity

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