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May a member of an assembly move that an election be conducted by ballot if the bylaws do not specifically include this option? What wording should be used to move that elections be conducted one office at a time rather than conducting election for all offices with a single vote? If the number of nominees is less than the number of identical open positions, may the chair declare election by acclamation before proceeding to fill the remaining positions? If all other members have been given one or more opportunities to make a nomination, can a member nominate two or more individuals at the same time? (RONR 12th is the Parliamentary Authority)

I encountered a recent situation which totally scrambled my understanding of "acclamation." A slate of candidates had been selected by the chair (and possibly a small committee) for inclusion as voting members of a governing body. Other member of that body were notified of these candidates and their credentials ahead of time, but when the time came to discuss their appointment/election, the chair moved to suspend the rules to adopt the slate "by acclamation," which was clearly against the will of a dozen or so members of that organization. One such member was given the floor to ask a procedural question about "acclamation." The Parliamentarian conferred that "acclamation" according to the rules being followed at that time by that organization, required only a 2/3 majority voice vote. From everything I have been able to research, under Roberts rules "acclamation" means "unanimous consent," and when there is not unanimous consent a discussion must follow along with standard voting procedures. Consequently there was allowed no discussion of the candidates, and a majority voice vote carried. The election of the slate concluded in a matter of minutes. Is this experience unique, or are others familiar with "acclamation" as a 2/3 majority voice vote sans debate. Thoughts?