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Election Procedures


Ronald Larson

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1. No. Nominations are made at meetings.

 

2. As long as your bylaws don't require a ballot vote, the chair can declare a sole nominee elected "by acclamation".

 

3. No, You have to complete the election. But the current officeholder might remain in office until their successors are elected. Check your bylaws for the terms of office. And, if voting by ballot, don't forget to provide space for "write-in" votes. Someone who wasn't nominated might be elected.

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Can nominations for officers be sent via email to an appointed election official?

 

Answer:  The answer probably depends on your bylaws and on the exact procedure that is being utilized.  Nominations are made at meetings unless something in your bylaws permits this or there was a motion to allow this method of nominating.   Was there a motion specifically authorizing submitting nominations via email?  Although RONR prohibits sending notices via email except to those who have consented to email notices and prohibits email voting unless authorized in your bylaws, I'm not aware of anything in RONR that prevents someone from providing information via email or that prevents, say, a nominating committee from submitting its report via email.  Normally, however, the nominating committee makes its report directly to the assembly at a meeting.  

 

Edited to add:  There are situations where the names of nominees are published in a newsletter prior to being submitted to the assembly.   It can also be done that way when there is going to be a mail ballot and the names are never formally presented at a meeting.   In those situations, I see no problem with it.  Again, the answer depends on the facts of your particular situation. 

 

If only one nomination for an office is received does an election still have to be held?

 

Answer:  The answer again depends on your bylaws.  If your bylaws call for a ballot vote, then a ballot vote must be conducted even if there is only one nominee.  If your bylaws do not require a ballot  vote and there is only one nominee for a position, RONR authorizes the ballot vote to be dispensed with and for the chairman to declare the person elected.   RONR page 443.

 

If no nominations are received for a particular office, can the officers for the previous year be automatically reinstalled?

 

Answer:  No, not unless your bylaws specifically authorize such a procedure.  Most bylaws contain term limits, too, so that is something you need to watch out for.  Elections need to be held as directed by the bylaws.  Depending on the wording of terms of office in your bylaws, if the elections are delayed for some reason, the current officers might hold over until the elections can be completed.

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If no nominations are received for a particular office, can the officers for the previous year be automatically reinstalled?

 

Well, no, but their names could be written in on the ballot.  

 

If there were no other nominations, why on earth did nobody think to nominate the current officers?  Are they disqualified by term limits?  If so, then they can't continue in office, so you'll need to keep beating the bushes.

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