Richard Brown

Mr. Martin is correct. In fact, the footnote on the bottom of page263 which I quoted says that the rules must be suspended to allow a non member to speak in debate. My mistake.

It's in RONR in several places. It's also a fundamental principle of parliamentary law that only members have the right to attend and participate in meetings of a society unless there is a rule or statute giving non members rights. The footnote on page 63 says that ". . . the rules may be suspended to allow a nonmember to speak in debate". On page 644, starting on line 22, RONR says: "PRINCIPLES GOVERNING DISCIPLINE AT MEETINGS. A society has the right to determine who may be present at its meetings and to control its hall while meetings are in progress; but all members have the right to attend except in cases where the bylaws provide for the automatic suspension of members who fall in arrears in payment of their dues, or where the society has, by vote and as a penalty imposed for a specific offense, forbidden attendance. Nonmembers, on the other hand—or a particular nonmember or group of nonmembers—can be excluded at any time from part or all of a meeting of a society, or from all of its meetings. Such exclusion can be effected by a ruling of the chair in cases of disorder, or by the adoption of a rule on the subject, or by an appropriate motion as the need arises—a motion of the latter nature being a question of privilege [page 645] (19). A motion to exclude all nonmembers (except absolutely necessary staff, if any) is often referred to as a motion to "go into executive session" (see 9)." Then, on page 648, RONR provides as follows starting on line 11: " Any nonmembers allowed in the hall during a meeting, as guests of the organization, have no rights with reference to the proceedings (pp. 644–45). An assembly has the right to protect itself from annoyance by nonmembers, and its full authority in this regard—as distinguished from cases involving disorderly members—can be exercised by the chair acting alone. The chair has the power to require nonmembers to leave the hall, or to order their removal, at any time during the meeting; and the nonmembers have no right of appeal from such an order of the presiding officer. However, such an order may be appealed by a member." That should pretty much cover it for you. Edited to add: If you are the presiding officer, get yourself a copy of RONR 11th edition asap. Don't settle for anything less. http://www.robertsrules.com/book.html

Agreeing with Mr. Guest, if there is a non member in attendance who you know has important information to share with the assembly, you can, as chair, allow him to address the membership by unanimous consent if no one objects. You could do it like this: "Mayor Sinkbottom is here and would like to address the assembly regarding the tax propositions that will appear on the November 4 ballot. Is there any objection to granting him five minutes to address the assembly regarding the upcoming tax propositions? Hearing no objection, Mayor Sinkbottom is granted five minutes to address the assembly about the upcoming tax propositions". If there is an objection, they you will have to go through the motions, if anyone is so inclined, of someone making a formal motion that he be allowed to address the assembly. Doing so might also require a suspension of the rules if it involves amending the agenda or interrupting business. If he is there to speak on an item that is on the agenda or during debate on an item of pending business, suspending the rules would not be necessary and he could be granted the permission to speak by majority vote (or unanimous consent).

Well, if nobody casts a vote for a candidate in that race, then nobody is elected to that position and you have an incomplete election. If the sole nominee is so unpopular and there are no nominees from the floor and no write in ballots, I guess it is conceivable that everyone just abstains from voting in that race. Somebody has to receive at least one vote in order to be elected. I'm betting, though, that the sole nominee will vote for himself. If the election isn't completed before the term of the current office holder expires, then, depending on the precise wording in your bylaws about terms of office, the current officer may may not continue in office until a successor is elected.