Archbishop José Gomez, of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, was today elected vice president of U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops from a slate of 10 candidates who were nominated by their fellow bishops. Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston was elected president. Cardinal DiNardo has served as vice president of the USCCB since 2013.
The president and vice president are elected to three-year terms, which begin at the conclusion of the meeting. At that time, Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Kentucky and Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, will complete their terms as president and vice president, respectively.
USCCB by-laws provide that the first election is that of the president by simple majority vote of members present and voting. Following the election of the president, the vice-president is elected from the remaining nine candidates. In either election, if a candidate does not receive more than half of the votes cast on the first ballot, a second vote is taken. If a third round of voting is necessary, that ballot is a run-off between the two bishops who received the most votes on the second ballot.