Search the Community

Background A slate of officers has already been presented to the general members this month. All those nominated accepted the nomination before being placed on the slate by the Nominating Committee. The election of officers will take place during next month's general meeting per bylaws. In the meantime, one of those on the slate has now removed their name for consideration BEFORE next month's the election. This person was the only one on the slate for that given officer position. What do we need to do to fill that position? 1) Open up nominations again during next month's meeting, allow additional names nominated from the floor, add those names to the slate, and then continue with the election for ALL positions at that time? 2) Reconvene the Nominating Committee to fill this position. Hold incomplete elections next month on the rest of the slate/nominations. Then at the same meeting present to the general membership the Nominating Committee's replacement nomination for the office position (nominee should agree beforehand), take any additional nominations from the floor, and then vote for this last position at the following month's general meeting? 3) Other?

I am a member of a school booster organization and at our last regular meeting the Nominating Committee presented their slate of officers for the election. The president sought reelection and was the sole person on the Committee's slate for the office of President, though there was other nominations. The President then quoted part of Robert's Rules regarding a slate for elections, saying typically there is only one nominee per office on the slate. The President then proceeded to say that the Nominating Committee decides the officers and there is no election. This was in our regular meeting in April. I know this is not right, and I voiced my concerns at the time in the meeting, but I did not have Robert's Rules or our By-Laws available at the time. My understanding is that under Robert's Rules the Nominating Committee creates a slate, then additional nominations can be taken from the floor and an election is held. I'm hoping someone can tell me where in Robert's Rules it speaks about this, because I can't seem to find it, and whether or not there is a way I can fix this at the next meeting so an actual election can be held. Below are our By-Laws regarding elections: Section 10.9 Elections Section 10.9.1 Nominating Committee Appointment: A nominating committee shall be appointed by the President at the regular March meeting each year. This committee shall meet before the regular April meeting to put together a slate of nominations from the active membership. Section 10.9.2 Presentation of Officer Nominees: The nominating committee will present their slate to the general membership at the regular April meeting. Nominations may be given to nominating committee no later than one week prior to the regular April meeting. The election of officers shall occur at the regular April meeting. Section 10.9.3 Vote Requirement: A majority vote of the membership present at the regular April meeting shall constitute an election. Section 10.9.4 Assume Office: Newly elected officers shall assume office on June 1; at the beginning of the new School year. Following the election, the incoming officers will serve along with current officers until June 1.

My golf association is revising our bylaws and the subject of electronic voting came up. The discussion centered around utilizing some kind of technology platform designed for this process only in the annual election of officers. Currently, our nominations committee comes up with a slate (1 candidate per position), then we can take nominations from the floor at our September meeting. Then we have the election at the October meeting. We currently allow absentee voting for the election of officers only. The idea around electronic voting is that we could announce the slate and take nominations from the floor at the September meeting, and then announce a time window for members to cast electronic ballots from wherever they may be. Then simply announce the results at the October meeting or even by posting if we choose to do away with the October meeting altogether. Are there any reasons this would be a good idea? a bad idea?