Sassylaw44 Posted August 10, 2011 at 11:35 PM Report Share Posted August 10, 2011 at 11:35 PM At a current BOE meeting, one member of the board voted by saying "Ditto". The secretary asked for more, and the member said "same as "John". The secretary recorded the vote.The vote was an issue requiring a full roll call vote, several "items" were being considered. Each of the other members voted "yes" "no" or "yea" "nay" for each "item" up for vote. (this was a vote on personnel issues)Question: is a "ditto" vote valid?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Harrison Posted August 10, 2011 at 11:44 PM Report Share Posted August 10, 2011 at 11:44 PM At a current BOE meeting, one member of the board voted by saying "Ditto". The secretary asked for more, and the member said "same as "John". The secretary recorded the vote.The vote was an issue requiring a full roll call vote, several "items" were being considered. Each of the other members voted "yes" "no" or "yea" "nay" for each "item" up for vote. (this was a vote on personnel issues)Question: is a "ditto" vote valid??Yes. The Secretary should record that this member voted in favor or against the motion. However, the Chair should have instructed the members that they should have voted "yes", "no", or said "present" or "pass" (RONR pp. 405-408). Saying "ditto" is not proper unless the organization is a Patrick Swayze fan club and they were discussing the movie Ghost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David A Foulkes Posted August 10, 2011 at 11:56 PM Report Share Posted August 10, 2011 at 11:56 PM Just to be sure.... for my own benefit....Question: is a "ditto" vote valid??Yes. ....... Saying "ditto" is not proper .....So.... yes, a ditto vote is valid? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Harrison Posted August 11, 2011 at 01:11 AM Report Share Posted August 11, 2011 at 01:11 AM Just to be sure.... for my own benefit....So.... yes, a ditto vote is valid?Yes this "ditto" vote is valid. Since this is a roll call vote we know how John voted and since this member said "ditto" clarifying that he or she is voting the same way as John did we know how this member voted as well. However, using the term "ditto" is not proper terminology and in my opinion if the member had not given clarification as to which way he or she was voting the "ditto" vote would have been an illegal vote the same as a ballot would have been considered illegal if it could not be determined how the member voted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sassylaw44 Posted August 11, 2011 at 01:29 AM Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2011 at 01:29 AM Thanks to everyone who replied. Your help is appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Elsman Posted August 11, 2011 at 03:00 AM Report Share Posted August 11, 2011 at 03:00 AM Yes this "ditto" vote is valid. Since this is a roll call vote we know how John voted and since this member said "ditto" clarifying that he or she is voting the same way as John did we know how this member voted as well. However, using the term "ditto" is not proper terminology and in my opinion if the member had not given clarification as to which way he or she was voting the "ditto" vote would have been an illegal vote the same as a ballot would have been considered illegal if it could not be determined how the member voted....in my opinion if the member had not given clarification as to which way he or she was voting the "ditto" vote would have been an illegal vote the same as a ballot would have been considered illegal if it could not be determined how the member voted. I'm not much inclined to agree with this. However non-standard the response may be, I think the meaning of the vote is clear enough to record as a legal vote. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Novosielski Posted August 11, 2011 at 03:07 AM Report Share Posted August 11, 2011 at 03:07 AM I'm not much inclined to agree with this. However non-standard the response may be, I think the meaning of the vote is clear enough to record as a legal vote. I'm not sure how clear it is, but if nobody raised a point of order at the time, whatever was recorded stands.Come to think of it, could a point of order be raised during a vote on such an issue, or would it have to wait until the roll-call was completed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Elsman Posted August 11, 2011 at 03:13 AM Report Share Posted August 11, 2011 at 03:13 AM I'm not sure how clear it is, but if nobody raised a point of order at the time, whatever was recorded stands.Come to think of it, could a point of order be raised during a vote on such an issue, or would it have to wait until the roll-call was completed?In a vote by roll call, the secretary repeats the voter's name and his vote immediately after it has been given, so there should be no cause for it to be misinterpreted. Thus, if the previous voter had voted "aye", the procedure would be:SECRETARY: "Mr. Smith."MR. SMITH: "Ditto."SECRETARY: "Mr. Smith, aye."See RONR (10th ed.), p. 406, ll. 25-27. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David A Foulkes Posted August 11, 2011 at 11:00 AM Report Share Posted August 11, 2011 at 11:00 AM Come to think of it, could a point of order be raised during a vote on such an issue, or would it have to wait until the roll-call was completed?P. 243 l. 32ff says the latter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jstackpo Posted August 11, 2011 at 11:04 AM Report Share Posted August 11, 2011 at 11:04 AM And p. 408 is explicit: no interruptions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Martin Posted August 17, 2011 at 01:04 AM Report Share Posted August 17, 2011 at 01:04 AM I'm not much inclined to agree with this. However non-standard the response may be, I think the meaning of the vote is clear enough to record as a legal vote.I agree with Mr. Elsman. While it is not a parliamentary term, "ditto" does have a defined meaning and in the context of the situation, it seems to have only one reasonable interpretation (that the member intended to vote the same as the member previously called). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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