Jump to content
The Official RONR Q & A Forums

Installation of officers after an election


grj

Recommended Posts

Our election process occurs every year where BOD are elected to serve two year terms with a maximum of four consecutive years before leaving the Board for one year.  After that year one may run again.  We have four regular meetings each year.  One at the spring Membership(aka business) Meeting,  another at the summer National Meet,  a third in October when the budget is set for the year and a forth in January.

 

The election process voted on by the membership each year is completed by January 15th.  The following BOD Meeting is at the Business Meeting which is coming up this week. 

 

My problem is the installation of the newly elected officers.  During my tenure this has occurred at the commencement of new business through about 2007.  Sometime after that it has changed by what is now called BOD Protocol.  This is caused by a confusion in our Constitution.

 

The regular BOD meeting is Friday am, there is a General Membership Meeting on Saturday and a final banquet on Saturday night. 

 

Here in lies the confusion.

 

Section 4. INSTALLATION OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS

a) Newly elected Directors shall give oath to uphold this Constitution and the purposes of MARC at the Annual Membership Meeting Banquet. The oath of office for Directors shall be administered by any qualified member in good standing as may be selected by the President.

B)Formal duties after a regular election shall take place at the commencement of new business at the regular Board session held at the Annual Membership Meeting. Formal installation after a special appointment shall take place at the commencement of the first Board session following the appointment.

Section 5. ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND POWERS IN GENERAL

a) OFFICERS

Having established a Board of seven (7) elected Directors and whereas all Directors have taken the Oath of Office, the President shall convene a meeting of the Board for the purpose of electing a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Director of Membership and Public Relations, Director of Regions, Director of Publications and Library, and any other official position and/or committee appointment as may be necessary to manage the affairs of MARC.

 

The officers from last year did not vote at that meeting because of the oath of office issue.  Is this an either/or ?   Does one take precedent over the other?   

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The rule in RONR is this - "An officer-elect takes possession of his office immediately upon his election's becoming final, unless the bylaws or other rules specify a later time. If a formal installation ceremony is prescribed, failure to hold it does not affect the time at which the new officers assume office."  RONR (11th ed.), p. 444

 

What we cannot do is determine what your bylaws mean or if the rule in RONR is affected by what your bylaws say. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So taking the oath the day later after the regular meeting at the banquet as prescribed in Section 4a. of the Constitution above does not take precedent over when formal duties begin? 

Not according to RONR, but whether your bylaws require it (and therefore supersede RONR) is a matter of interpretation, and only your organization can interpret your bylaws.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So taking the oath the day later after the regular meeting at the banquet as prescribed in Section 4a. of the Constitution above does not take precedent over when formal duties begin? 

 

So far as RONR is concerned, no oath of office is required, and even if an oath is required, when (or if) the oath is taken has no effect on when the officers take office unless your bylaws provide otherwise. As noted, whether your bylaws do provide otherwise is not a question we can answer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...