PresidentM Posted October 10, 2017 at 09:15 PM Report Share Posted October 10, 2017 at 09:15 PM Election night is tomorrow for our organization. It appears that we are going to have more participation than usual which is wonderful, however it might lead to a very late night. Our bylaws and constitution call for 2 tellers. The actual wording is "presiding officer shall appoint two tellers". Is there any wiggle room there to use more than two tellers or are we to strictly abide by the text and have exactly two? No more, no less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Harrison Posted October 10, 2017 at 10:00 PM Report Share Posted October 10, 2017 at 10:00 PM Is your concern that you don't want to have the same two people as tellers for the whole meeting? If that is the case I don't see why the presiding officer at the start of the meeting couldn't appoint two tellers and then as needed remove one or both of them and appoint replacements. But stay tuned for other thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PresidentM Posted October 10, 2017 at 10:11 PM Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2017 at 10:11 PM I hadn't thought of that. My original thought was to have 4 tellers at the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jstackpo Posted October 10, 2017 at 10:15 PM Report Share Posted October 10, 2017 at 10:15 PM Seems to me that your requirement for "two tellers" in the bylaws could be treated as a "Special Rule of Order", page 15ff. If your association agrees with that interpretation, then, by a 2/3 vote, it could suspend that rule and you could have as many tellers as needed to get the votes counted before midnight (or whenever). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshua Katz Posted October 10, 2017 at 10:39 PM Report Share Posted October 10, 2017 at 10:39 PM Why not 2 tellers and 2 assistant tellers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PresidentM Posted October 10, 2017 at 11:07 PM Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2017 at 11:07 PM Certain offices are vote for x or y. Other offices are vote for 6 positions with 14 nominees. That one alone can last all night. Have to get the top 6, has to be majority, tie causes a runoff or another vote. i'd like to have two people just for that alone. it can get hairy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Who's Coming to Dinner Posted October 11, 2017 at 12:00 AM Report Share Posted October 11, 2017 at 12:00 AM Agreeing with Dr. S … move to suspend the rules and appoint more than two tellers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Martin Posted October 11, 2017 at 12:01 AM Report Share Posted October 11, 2017 at 12:01 AM 1 hour ago, Joshua Katz said: Why not 2 tellers and 2 assistant tellers? A teller, by definition, is someone who counts the votes. I don’t think calling some of them something else changes how many tellers there are. 1 hour ago, jstackpo said: Seems to me that your requirement for "two tellers" in the bylaws could be treated as a "Special Rule of Order", page 15ff. If your association agrees with that interpretation, then, by a 2/3 vote, it could suspend that rule and you could have as many tellers as needed to get the votes counted before midnight (or whenever). I agree that a rule pertaining to the counting of votes for a vote occurring during a meeting is clearly in the nature of a rule of order, and may therefore be suspended by a 2/3 vote. In the long run, the bylaws should be amended to change the rule. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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