use of email

[Guest Jay]

I am an officer in a local Education Foundation. We normally have our nominating committee present our election slate at the April meeting and hold the vote at the May meeting. It has been difficult scheduling our April meeting for an assortment of reasons (room avail, district break, religious holidays, etc) We have proposed that the slate be presented to all members via email and that members would have the opportunity to make further nominations via email as well. The nominating committee thinks this may be inappropriate according to Robert's Rules. We are not suggesting that we hold the vote via email, simply that we be able to have all members involved in establishing the current slate. What is your take on this?

[Robert B Fish]

E-mail is inappropriate for giving notice and conducting business. RONR requires that you give notice of a meeting at which elections will be held. That can be given at the previous regular meeting or by US Mail. You cannot accept nominations by e-mail as that would be conducting a meeting by e-mail. You cannot do that unless your bylaws say you can.

I see no problem with communicating information by e-mail, as long as you do not take the e-mail to satisfy a requirement in your bylaws or RORN of giving notice.

-Bob

[George Mervosh]

You can certainaly have the nominating committee present their recommendations in May, prior to voting......after they report, the chair must call for nominations from the floor. Then pass out a ballot (blank pieces of paper are fine) and vote.