Election of directors

[Guest Ron S]

Our organization's executive includes 6 directors whose terms last 2 years. In order to provide some continuity the terms alternate and we elect 3 new each year. Our question has to do with the election procedure. Should all nominees be placed on the ballot and have all members vote for their 3 choices and then the top three vote-getters are elected after one vote? Or should they be elected one at a time?

Thanks in advance.

[Chris Harrison]

Our organization's executive includes 6 directors whose terms last 2 years. In order to provide some continuity the terms alternate and we elect 3 new each year. Our question has to do with the election procedure. Should all nominees be placed on the ballot and have all members vote for their 3 choices and then the top three vote-getters are elected after one vote? Or should they be elected one at a time?

Thanks in advance.

You can vote for all of them on one ballot or on three separate ballots (though if the Board seats are equal it wouldn't make much sense to vote for them one at a time). However, you don't pick the three who have the highest vote total (unless the bylaws say this is the way to hold the election). Each seat is a separate question and someone is elected only if they get a majority of the votes cast.

For example say that there are 5 candidates (Mr. A-E) and 100 ballots are cast:

Mr. A-60

Mr. B-51

Mr. C-50

Mr. D-40

Mr. E-30

Mr. A and B would be elected because each of them got a majority of the 100 votes cast (which would be 51 or more). Mr. C-E would not be elected having not received a majority vote. So there would be an incomplete election for the third seat and Mr. C-E (plus any added nominations from the floor or write in votes) would need to get a majority of however many ballots cast for that election.