Seniority for Seating of Members

[Guest B. Alan]

Wondering if RROO has a specific definition of seniority for seating of Members of an elected body (and perhaps for other procedural items such as role call, voting order, etc.)?

I did find the folloing definition from Auburn University's "Glossary of Political Terms" (http://www.auburn.edu/~johnspm/gloss/seniority):

"The number of years of unbroken service that a member of a standing Congressional committee has on that committee."

Specific issue is whether or not one counts total years of service versus total years of unbroken (i.e. current) service. Board is a local City Council.

Many thanks.

B. Alan

[George Mervosh]

No.

[Tim Wynn]

Wondering if RROO has a specific definition of seniority for seating of Members of an elected body...

A member is a member; it doesn't get any more complex than that.

[Chris Harrison]

Regarding seating it is up to you all to figure out the details on how to define seniority. Regarding voting the only time that seniority would seem to factor into the equation would be in a Roll Call vote but RONR p. 406 says the Roll is called in alphabetical order (except the presiding officer who is called last) and I suppose the order that members drop their ballot in the ballot box. However, I would not recommend it because the tellers could get a general idea of who voted which way by where the ballot is in the box (most senior on bottom of box and least senior on top). All the other methods of voting are simultaneous (everyone says yes or no, rises, or raises their hands at the same time).

[Josh Martin]

Wondering if RROO has a specific definition of seniority for seating of Members of an elected body (and perhaps for other procedural items such as role call, voting order, etc.)?

No. Nothing in RONR is based upon seniority, so there is no need to define it. In RONR, for seating the chair sits somewhere where he can see everyone, the parliamentarian sits close enough to whisper to the chair, and the secretary sits close enough to exchange papers with the chair. Everyone else sits where they want. Voting order (which only becomes an issue for a roll call vote) is in alphabetical order, except that the chair votes last (if at all) in large assemblies. RONR does not require a roll call at the beginning of a meeting. If seniority matters in your organization, it's up to your organization to define it.

I did find the folloing definition from Auburn University's "Glossary of Political Terms" (http://www.auburn.edu/~johnspm/gloss/seniority):

"The number of years of unbroken service that a member of a standing Congressional committee has on that committee."

Specific issue is whether or not one counts total years of service versus total years of unbroken (i.e. current) service. Board is a local City Council.

I see no reason why the definition you have found is at all useful to you, since your assembly is not a standing Congressional committee. If your rules rely upon "seniority," it is up to your organization to determine what that means.