Jump to content
The Official RONR Q & A Forums

Tied Vote


irishpompom

Recommended Posts

No. The assembly has decided not to "deny" whatever it was considering, but it has certainly not decided to approve it (or whatever the opposite may be).

If the motion to deny something was simply a decision to do nothing, then it was out of order and shouldn't have been made at all since its adoption would have made no difference (I can't seem to find the citation on this one). If there was a real difference between explicitly "denying" and neither denying nor approving, and explicitly approving (I can certainly provide an instance of where this might be the case), then the motion was in order and the assembly has done nothing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If a motion is made in the negative (I move to deny) and the vote is tied, the motion fails. It doesn't make sense that the opposing view (approval) would then automatically ensue. Is it appropriate to then require a motion to approve which would then fail through a tied vote?

A motion is a proposal to do something. Motions made in the negative should usually not be admitted in the first place, for that very reason. If the motion passes nothing is done; if the motion fails nothing is done. It is a dilatory motion and should be ruled out of order by the chair.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A motion is a proposal to do something. Motions made in the negative should usually not be admitted in the first place, for that very reason. If the motion passes nothing is done; if the motion fails nothing is done. It is a dilatory motion and should be ruled out of order by the chair.

What if the assembly is required to go on record denying whatever the request may be?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What if the assembly is required to go on record denying whatever the request may be?

Required? By whom? How?

The response to a request is easily accomplished by a motion to grant the request, so that a Yes vote approves and a No vote fails to approve.

A motion that fails is a decision by the assembly to leave the status quo untouched. So if a motion to deny a request fails, the request remains unapproved.

(If my aunt had wheels, she'd be a teacart.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Required? By whom? How?

The response to request is easily accomplished by a motion to grant the request, so that a Yes vote approves and a No vote fails to approve.

A motion that fails is a decision by the assembly to leave the status quo untouched. So if a motion to deny a request fails, the request remains unapproved.

(If my aunt had wheels, she'd be a teacart.)

There may be situations where explicitly rejecting something is not the same as failing to approve it. As an example, one student organization of which I'm a member (my shameful secret is out) holds infrequent general meetings and has an elected council; the council is authorized to make bylaw amendments but those lose effect if they are not approved by the next regular general meeting and can be explicitly rejected by an earlier (and by necessity special) general meeting. If a special meeting were called and the bylaw amendment was not explicitly rejected, it would continue to have effect until the next regular general meeting at least.

Whether or not this is the best system is up for debate, but the distinction certainly can exist.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Our club board is made up of eight districts, President, VP and Sec/Treas. We just had the elections for the even numbered districts and VP. District 8 vote was tied. The president, who resides within Dist 8, cast her vote for the director of the district. Because the president already voted, how do we break the tie?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Our club board is made up of eight districts, President, VP and Sec/Treas. We just had the elections for the even numbered districts and VP. District 8 vote was tied. The president, who resides within Dist 8, cast her vote for the director of the district. Because the president already voted, how do we break the tie?

Ties are not "broken". Ties are just a failure to achieve a majority (more than half) of the votes.

So, a tie vote elects no one. You will need to hold a second ballot which gives people a chance to change their minds. When someone gets a majority (more votes than all other candidates for that office combined) they are elected. If not: rinse; repeat.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Required? By whom? How?

The example that comes to mind for me is zoning boards, which are often required by law to either approve or deny an application.

The response to a request is easily accomplished by a motion to grant the request, so that a Yes vote approves and a No vote fails to approve.

A motion that fails is a decision by the assembly to leave the status quo untouched. So if a motion to deny a request fails, the request remains unapproved.

Yes, that's how it works under RONR.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...