The New York Times‘ Elizabeth Dias reports that there was improper voting at the United Methodist Church’s recent General Conference, which strengthened the denomination’s bans on same-sex marriage and LGBT clergy. “But at least four ballots were cast by individuals who were not authorized to vote, according to interviews and a review of the church’s records,” Dias writes. She adds, “The final 54-vote margin against gay clergy and same-sex marriage exceeds the number of unauthorized votes discovered so far. But the voting irregularities raised questions about the process behind the divisive decision, which devastated progressive members.”