What is a white ballot?

[allegro]

What is a white ballot? We have a member of our group who tries to get his way at meetings and uses this when he wants to stop all discussion and force his motion through. He just calls for a white ballot and takes over the meeting and all discussion is stopped and the vote goes through.

[Robert B Fish]

The term white ballot is not used in RONR.

It sounds like he is misusing the motion "call for the question." See FAQ#11 (http://www.robertsrules.com/faq.html#11)

-Bob

[J. J.]

A "white ballot" can refer to the practice of using black and white balls to vote on something. The term is not used in RONR. I doubt it that is what the member means.

[Guest Gary c Tesser]

Of course, for the purposes of this forum, Mr Fish's first sentence is the most salient one.

But a few years ago, this question came up every few months. We looked it up a few times, and concluded that it most often means what RONR calls election by acclamation, where there is only one nominee and no objection to declaring him elected. This is on the bottom of p. 428 in RONR, 10th Edition, obsolete for a week now with the publication of the Eleventh, which I am told at least 17 people have seen a copy of by now, and which probably also has a p. 428.

[Shmuel Gerber]

Of course, for the purposes of this forum, Mr Fish's first sentence is the most salient one.

But a few years ago, this question came up every few months. We looked it up a few times, and concluded that it most often means what RONR calls election by acclamation, where there is only one nominee and no objection to declaring him elected. This is on the bottom of p. 428 in RONR, 10th Edition, obsolete for a week now with the publication of the Eleventh, which I am told at least 17 people have seen a copy of by now, and which probably also has a p. 428.

Well, of course it has p. 428, but now we call it p. 442. Of course, there is also a p. 442, but now we call it p. 458. ... Oh, never mind.

[David A Foulkes]

What do we call page 643 (10th Ed.) now? (That is, the last page)

[David A Foulkes]

He just calls for a white ballot and takes over the meeting and all discussion is stopped and the vote goes through.

Whatever the white ballot is (although I have an idea), this member has no authority per RONR to "take over the meeting", bring discussion to a stop, and push a vote through. The assembly can adopt a motion of the Previous Question (by a 2/3 vote), which will terminate discussion and bring the question to an immediate vote, although it can still be defeated.

Where is your chairman during this?

[Shmuel Gerber]

What do we call page 643 (10th Ed.) now? (That is, the last page)

Old hat.

Actually, the last page of Chapter XX in the 11th edition is numbered 669, but it is unrelated to the content of the last page of the 10th edition.

[David A Foulkes]

Seems a shame to have to buy a whole new book when there's only 27 new pages!!

[g40]

What is a white ballot? We have a member of our group who tries to get his way at meetings and uses this when he wants to stop all discussion and force his motion through. He just calls for a white ballot and takes over the meeting and all discussion is stopped and the vote goes through.

Maybe your Chairman needs to be educated, or given some backbone, or replaced if one member takes over the meeting. What you describe should not be allowed, except in some rare circumstances.

[allegro]

Could someone post on here what the bottom of p. 428 (or 442) has to say about this? Thank you.

[Josh Martin]

Could someone post on here what the bottom of p. 428 (or 442) has to say about this?

"When only one nominee is put up and the bylaws do not require a ballot, the chair can take a voice vote, or can declare that the nominee is elected, thus effecting the election by unanimous consent or 'acclamation.'" (RONR, 10th ed., pg. 428, lines 32-35)

This does not, however, seem to be what the member is thinking of. Given the member's usage of what he calls a "white ballot" to "stop all discussion and force his motion through," I suspect he is thinking of (and misusing) the motion for the Previous Question. As Mr. Fish noted, see FAQ #11 for the appropriate procedure when this motion is raised. I haven't a clue how the member got the idea that the Previous Question has anything to do with a "white ballot". Although I have seen several different definitions for what a "white ballot" is (none of them in RONR), they generally have to do with a ballot vote or an election (or both).