Recording votes

[Guest DonnaP]

When votes are taken at a Board meeting by raising of the hands to capture the vote, do you record the vote by how many in favor and how many against with the names listed beside the vote. Or is is strictly the number in favor, the number against and number of abstentions?

[George Mervosh]

If the vote was formally counted, list the count and whether the motion was adopted or defeated......otherwise just state if it was adopted or defeated.

You wouldn't record the names of the members and their vote unless the vote was done by roll call.

[Gary Novosielski]

When votes are taken at a Board meeting by raising of the hands to capture the vote, do you record the vote by how many in favor and how many against with the names listed beside the vote. Or is is strictly the number in favor, the number against and number of abstentions?

None of the above.

On a normal voice vote, or even a rising vote or show of hands (typically not counted) all that is recorded is whether the motion was adopted or not.

If it becomes appropriate to order a counted rising vote or show of hands, or if the vote is taken by ballot, then the number of votes in favor and opposed (or for each candidate, in the case of an election) are shown, and are entered in the minutes. Abstentions are not votes, and should not be called for, nor should they be announced nor recorded in the minutes.

The only time the names of voters are recorded is when a vote is by roll call (a.k.a. by the Yeas and Nays).

Except in representative bodies or delegations where the members are answerable to their constituents, roll call votes are usually a waste of time, and could be considered dilatory.

[Tim Wynn]

When votes are taken at a Board meeting by raising of the hands to capture the vote, do you record the vote by how many in favor and how many against with the names listed beside the vote. Or is is strictly the number in favor, the number against and number of abstentions?

In either case (counted or not) you record what the chair announces. You don't do a separate count for the minutes. If it's a counted vote, the chair should announce the numbers for each side.

If it is a vote by roll call, there's a whole different process that is to be followed. See RONR(10th ed.), p. 405-408.

[Larry Cisar]

When votes are taken at a Board meeting by raising of the hands to capture the vote, do you record the vote by how many in favor and how many against with the names listed beside the vote. Or is is strictly the number in favor, the number against and number of abstentions?

Don't forget to check old board minutes to see what was done. If it is anything besides reporting adopted or not, or the count, check to see if there is some rule of the organization as to why it is done so. If there is no reason, see the previous posts about recording votes.