order of vote

[Guest libdoor]

In a weak Mayor strong Council form of government in what order should a vote be taken? If the Deputy Mayor does not make the motion or second shouldn't he be called last before the Mayor? FYI Council members are Mayor, Deputy Mayor and three Committeemen.

[Chris Harrison]

In a weak Mayor strong Council form of government in what order should a vote be taken? If the Deputy Mayor does not make the motion or second shouldn't he be called last before the Mayor? FYI Council members are Mayor, Deputy Mayor and three Committeemen.

RONR p. 406 says:

The roll is called in alphabetical order except that the presiding officer's name is called last, and only when his vote will affect the result.

[Kim Goldsworthy]

... in what order should a vote be taken?

If the Deputy Mayor does not make the motion or second,

shouldn't he be called last, before the Mayor?

Council members are

(1) Mayor, (1) Deputy Mayor, (3) Committeemen.

In a board/committee of FIVE members total, a vote should be taken by VOICE, not by roll call.

If you have a rule based on some non-Robertian practice, then why not just do a raised-hand vote, which identifies every voter clearly, and which eliminates your question from troubling you.

Are you doing a roll call vote all the time, or are you asking just for those rare instances?

Where a roll call is required/demanded, then, as Chris H. cited, it is:

(1.) alphabetical;

(2.) except that the chair (not the mayor, not the deputy mayor, not the mover) votes last, or not at all.

[Rob Elsman]

In a weak Mayor strong Council form of government in what order should a vote be taken? If the Deputy Mayor does not make the motion or second shouldn't he be called last before the Mayor? FYI Council members are Mayor, Deputy Mayor and three Committeemen.

Unless there is a special rule to the contrary, in a small board or committee, it is acceptable to call the roll in alphabetical order, and the presiding officer can vote right along with the other members whether or not his vote will affect the result.

[Gary Novosielski]

In a board/committee of FIVE members total, a vote should be taken by VOICE, not by roll call.

If you have a rule based on some non-Robertian practice, then why not just do a raised-hand vote, which identifies every voter clearly, and which eliminates your question from troubling you.

State law in many jurisdictions requires a recorded vote on substantive motions such as policies and ordinances, so that the voting of the public official is a matter of record, and such a practice would supersede RONR. As a mayor-and-council, that may be the case here, and their attorney would be the logical next stop for questions.