ORLANDO (BP) – Southern Baptist Convention President Clint Pressley has named the roster of tellers to count votes at the 2026 SBC Annual Meeting June 9-10. Pressley named David Haynes, senior pastor of First Baptist Church Senatobia, Miss., to lead the team. Haynes and his wife April served as tellers at last year’s meeting in Dallas.
“A mentor of mine, Dr. Ronald Meeks, says ‘If you’re going to be a Baptist, then be a good one,’” Haynes told Baptist Press. “Service is at the heart of every good Southern Baptist. Those serving on the Tellers Committee allow the convention body as a whole to focus on biblical instruction, worship and presentations while the votes are counted. … We serve so others can experience the convention.”
SBC Registration Secretary Don Currence said he is confident the team of tellers is made up of “dedicated Southern Baptists who I know are up for the task.”
“Like every year, every ballot vote will be counted carefully so that not one messengers vote is missed during the annual meeting,” Currence said. “The most helpful things that a messenger can do is to be in the main hall for all of the business and follow my instructions.”
Based on his experience in Dallas, Haynes shared a bit of what tellers do behind the scenes of the annual meeting.
“Those who have never served on this committee may not be familiar with the process,” he said. “Once ballot votes occur, the ballots are divided and counted twice by the members of the committee.
“The counting process happens by teams of two people. The members of the counting teams do not know each other. Last year, my wife and I could not count ballots together for the purpose of protecting the validity of the process.”
Messengers receive a personalized book of ballots when they register for the meeting. Registration opens on Sunday, June 7, at 2 p.m. on Level 1 of the Orange County Convention Center.
Tellers are:
- Bob Allen, Salem Avenue Baptist, Missouri
- Jess Archer, Riverland Hills, South Carolina
- Jemar Bahinting, Prestonwood Baptist, Texas
- Delton Beall, FBC Yazoo City, Mississippi
- Jeannie Beall, FBC Yazoo City, Mississippi
- Zachary Beardon, FBC Millington, Tennessee
- Spencer Bell, Mt. Zion Baptist, Alabama
- Katie Bennett, Lake Murray Baptist, South Carolina
- Trent Broussard, Central Baptist, Arkansas
- John Cofer, Liberty Baptist, Mississippi
- Tim Coleman, FBC Winfield, Alabama
- Emily Cook, Calvary Baptist, Indiana
- James Gardner, McClendon Baptist, Louisiana
- Jacob Gardner, Trinity Baptist, Louisiana
- Bryce Geiger, FBC Snyder, Texas
- Sophia Geiger, FBC Snyder, Texas
- Melody Hawks, Hope in the Valley Baptist, California
- April Haynes, FBC Senatobia, Mississippi
- David Haynes, FBC Senatobia, Mississippi
- Evens Jules, Bethel Evangelical Baptist, Florida
- Chad King, FBC Anacoco, Louisiana
- Dale Lingenfelter, Louisiana Baptist Convention, Louisiana
- Donny Mathis, Christ Fellowship-Cherrydale, South Carolina
- William Maxwell, Brentwood Baptist, Tennessee
- Jeff Maynard, FBC Brevard, North Carolina
- Quillian Mercer, Lakeside Baptist, Georgia
- Scott Morie, No church listed, Oklahoma
- Allen Nichols, First Baptist, Missouri
- Teresa Nichols, First Baptist, Missouri
- M. Ryan Ogle, Union Missionary Baptist, Tennessee
- Sarah Ogle, Union Missionary Baptist, Tennessee
- Dub Oliver, Englewood Baptist, Tennessee
- Landon Orr, Bethesda Baptist, North Carolina
- Sara Orr, Bethesda Baptist, North Carolina
- Steven Ragan, Riverside Baptist, North Carolina
- Juanita Shelton, Normandale Baptist, Texas
- Richard Starnes, Visio Dei, Missouri
- JD Strouth, Northeast Park Baptist, Indiana
- Scott Talley, FBC Lutz, Florida
- Mark Taylor, New Hope Baptist, Mississippi
- Connie Taylor, New Hope Baptist, Mississippi
- Chris Terrell, White Springs Baptist, Alabama
- Alicia Violante, Hillcrest Baptist, Texas
- Raul Violante, Hillcrest Baptist, Texas
- Brandon Watson, Oakdale Baptist, Tennessee
- Krissy Watson, Oakdale Baptist, Tennessee
- Johan Wessels, FBC Winnsboro, Texas
- Heather Wessels, FBC Winnsboro, Texas
- Starla Wetmore, Jersey Baptist Church, Ohio
- Nathan Whisnant, First Baptist Owensboro, Kentucky
- Tammy Whisnant, First Baptist Owensboro, Kentucky
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