The election for the moderatorship of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland has resulted in a tied vote for the first time in 10 years.
Rev Ken Newell and Rev Ivan McKay, both of whom serve in Belfast, received the same number of nominations last night.
Mr McKay, minister of Dundonald, and Mr Newell of the Fitzroy congregation, each received seven nominations from the 21 presbyteries all over Ireland. The presbyteries met yesterday to vote for a successor to the present moderator, the Right Rev Dr Russell Birney, whose term of office ends in June.
Under the rules of the Presbyterian Church, presbyteries will vote on just the two leading names at their next meeting, on Tuesday March 4th, to select Dr Birney's successor.
Other ministers to receive nominations in last night's election were Rev Jack Richardson with three votes, and single votes for Rev Harold McConnell, Rev Alistair Kennedy, Dr Joe Fell and Rev Wilfred Orr.
The 21 presbyteries across the island are governing bodies responsible for approximately 25 presbyterian congregations throughout the island, although the great majority are in the North where the Presbyterian Church is the largest Protestant denomination.
The moderator-designate who is chosen on March 4th will succeed Dr Birney at the Church's General Assembly on June 2nd, and will serve for one year.
Traditionally, the man elected would have been runner-up the previous year. However, Last year's runner-up, Rev Leslie Casement, indicated he did not wish to be considered again.
Last year, Dr Birney, of High Kirk, Ballymena, Co Antrim, secured the votes of 17 presbyteries. Rev Casement, of Sixmilecross in Co Armagh, received three votes, and Rev Jack Richardson received one vote.
At yesterday's meeting, members of presbyteries were free to nominate any minister or elder from within the General Assembly for the office, which is the highest in the Church. To date, however, only ministers have ever been moderator. The membership of each presbytery decided by internal vote who would secure its vote for the post.
The last time a moderator was elected without previously having received nominations was in 1999, when Dr John Lockington, minister of Gardenmore, Larne, Co Antrim, was elected.