Tonight Melbourne's Anglican community is gathering to elect a new archbishop, following the retirement of Rev. Dr. Peter Watson, who has turned 70.

According to a diocesan media release, a 18-member Board of Nominators, which has been meeting since July last year, is required to present the election meeting with a list of nominations – with a minimum of three names and a maximum of six. Nominations have been received from groups of Synod members, as well as individual submissions from Synod members and other Melbourne Anglicans.

Names of nominations are made known, and the chair and deputy chair of the Board of Nominators present the names to the Synod without any overt advocacy of particular individuals. Motions for the acceptance of the nominations will then be moved. Each name must be voted onto the list of candidates. Before proceeding to a debate on the merits of the candidates and the voting, either of two motions may be put – that the Board of Nominators elect one of the candidates or that Synod members elect a new Board to elect a clerk as Archbishop. If either motion is put and passed, the Meeting is dissolved and there is no further opportunity for Synod Members to elect an Archbishop to fill the present vacancy. If neither motion is put and passed, the Meeting proceeds to the election of a candidate. A succession of rolling ballots eliminates names one by one until one name attracts more than 50% of the votes. The question is then put: should ‘Bloggs’ become Archbishop and that name must receive a two thirds majority of Synod members.

This is the second time the Anglican church is having elections after the first held earlier this failed to achieve a result.