Re voting on an issue

[Guest mary]

If there is a Board of five.

Two Board member are absent when a vote is taken on a issue and the Board of three vote  in favor of the issue.

Can the two Board members ask for a retake on the vote when there is a full Board?

[Edgar Guest]

It's quite possible that the adopted motion could be rescinded or otherwise amended. It would take either a two-thirds vote, the affirmative vote of a majority of the (entire) membership (of the board) or, with previous notice, a majority vote.

 

It might also be possible for the general membership to rescind, or otherwise amend, the board's adopted motion. See Official Interpretation 2006-13.

 

In RONR-Land, very little is carved in stone. Situations change. People's opinions change.

[Kim Goldsworthy]

If there is a Board of five.

Two Board member are absent when a vote is taken on a issue

and

the Board of three vote in favor of the issue.

 

Can the two Board members ask for a retake on the vote

when there is a full Board?

Mary,

No.

 

Once a motion is adopted, you don't literally re-vote.

 

You:

* RESCIND it

or

* AMEND it.

 

You cannot just add two more "late" votes, at next month's meeting, and assume it is all Round One balloting.

You would theoretically be balloting forever.

Like so.

"Joe missed January so Joe wants to vote in Febrary."

"Frank missed February so Frank wants to vote in March."

"Marsha missed March so Marsha wants to vote in April".

"Adele missed April so Adele wants to vote in May."

(And so on, ad infinitum.)

[Rev Ed]

Also, one a five member Board, if the three members all voted the same way, then the votes of the absent members would not matter - even if they both had voted opposite to the others, the outcome would still have been the same.  So, what's the point of bringing this up again?

[Edgar Guest]

So, what's the point of bringing this up again?

 

Situations change. People's opinions change.

[Gary Novosielski]

If there is a Board of five.

Two Board member are absent when a vote is taken on a issue and the Board of three vote  in favor of the issue.

Can the two Board members ask for a retake on the vote when there is a full Board?

 

No.

 

They can move to rescind the motion that passed, but since a majority of the entire membership of the board voted in favor, that's not likely to succeed.

 

When you miss a meeting, you don't have any automatic right to have your opinion recorded.  If you want to be heard, show up.

[Rev Ed]

People's opinions change.

 

Edgar, read Gary's post (directly above this one, #6), that's exactly the point I am making.  If those two members did not bother to show up, and a majority of the entire Board agrees on a motion, then tough.  Show up next time.  The three who supported the motion are not likely to change their minds now just because two members did not attend and want to re-look into the issue.

 

If someone who was actually at the meeting wants to reconsider the issue, that's different.  But the people who want to reconsider the motion were not at the meeting to start with.

[Josh Martin]

Edgar, read Gary's post (directly above this one, #6), that's exactly the point I am making. If those two members did not bother to show up, and a majority of the entire Board agrees on a motion, then tough. Show up next time. The three who supported the motion are not likely to change their minds now just because two members did not attend and want to re-look into the issue.

If someone who was actually at the meeting wants to reconsider the issue, that's different. But the people who want to reconsider the motion were not at the meeting to start with.

The members are certainly not likely "to change their minds now just because two members did not attend and want to re-look into the issue." One or more members might, however, change their mind after debate.

In any event, it is in order for any member to move to Rescind an adopted motion at a later meeting. Whether that motion has any chance of success is a different question, and it is a question that the members of the board are better equipped to answer than we are.

[Edgar Guest]

If someone who was actually at the meeting wants to reconsider the issue, that's different.  But the people who want to reconsider the motion were not at the meeting to start with.

 

Well, I'm not sure I'd use the word "reconsider". And I hope you're not suggesting that a member has less of a right to make a motion to rescind something previously adopted simply because he was absent at the meeting at which the original motion was adopted. 

 

There are very legitimate reasons why a member might be unable to attend a meeting. Characterizing an absence as "not bothering to show up" is presumptive.

[Gary Novosielski]

The members are certainly not likely "to change their minds now just because two members did not attend and want to re-look into the issue." One or more members might, however, change their mind after debate.

In any event, it is in order for any member to move to Rescind an adopted motion at a later meeting. Whether that motion has any chance of success is a different question, and it is a question that the members of the board are better equipped to answer than we are.

 

I have no argument with any of that.  

 

It's just that there seems to be a widespread misconception that after missing a meeting at which some issue was decided not in keeping with the way the absentee(s) would have liked, that they can demand a "re-vote" on the motion.   Which they can't.

 

They can move to Rescind it, of course, but that's a bit more difficult to pass,  It would, however, afford them an opportunity to be heard on the merits of the motion.