The Secretariat for the Synod has announced that 70 “non-bishop members” appointed by Pope Francis will be able to vote at the October Synod General Assembly scheduled to take place in Rome.

According to the Secretariat for the Synod, the 70 individuals will include lay people appointed directly by the Pope, 50 percent of whom shall be women and among whom shall be included several young people. All 70 will enjoy voting rights at the Assembly, which will consist of around 370 voting members out of more than 400 total participants.

The significant change was announced during a press conference on Wednesday, April 26 at the Holy See Press Office, by the secretary general of the synod Cardinal Mario Grech, and relator general of the synod Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich.

Synod: Laymen and laywomen eligible to vote at General Assembly – Vatican News