The election for the next bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia got off to a smooth start this morning at the Ebenhaeser Parish in Keetmanshoop.

Of the 30 registered voters, only 22 cast their votes.

Pastor Jan Beukes garnered the highest number of votes (15), followed by Pastor Andries Vilander, who received three votes.

Both incumbent Deputy Bishop Abraham ||Kheibeb and Sophia Situde received two votes each.

The other candidates in the bishop election race, incumbent Bishop Sageus |Kheib, Pastor Marinette Dausas, Pastor Jakob Frederick, Pastor Willem Gaweseb, and Pastor Genevieve Van Wyk, did not garner any votes.

Meanwhile, voting at the Immanuel Parish in Keetmanshoop began smoothly and is still in progress.

A total of 106 church members registered to vote there, and by 12:00, only 35 had cast their votes.

The Immanuel Parish Council Secretary, Jims Christiaan, informed nbc News that voting will conclude at 17:00.