Vice President voting

[Guest J King]

When the Vice President takes over for the President when she is unable to attend a meeting how does the Vice President vote?? As VP or President. In our organization the President only votes as a tie breaker. We are a small board.

[dglynch]

Robert's Rules does not have rules to cover something like this. According to RONR, every member votes equally (though the chair sometimes only votes if his vote would affect the result).

[David A Foulkes]

When the President (who I assume is your regular presiding officer) is absent from a meeting, per RONR the VP would normally take over the presiding duties. In a small board meeting (about a dozen or fewer in attendance) the presiding officer may vote along with the other members. That said, in this instance, the VP is still the VP. Taking the chair in the absence of the President doesn't make you the President.

Why does your President only vote in a tie-breaker? Is that a rule in your bylaws, or just the understanding within your organization of how it's (supposed to be) done?

[Tim Wynn]

When the Vice President takes over for the President when she is unable to attend a meeting how does the Vice President vote?? As VP or President. In our organization the President only votes as a tie breaker. We are a small board.

I hope you don't actually have a specific rule of your organization that says the president only votes as a tie breaker. That way RONR will govern, and the chairman is free to vote in small boards. As for the formal rules in RONR, the restrictions on voting apply to the member in the chair, whether or not he is the regular presiding officer.

[Rev Ed]

If you have a rule that the President only votes in the event of a tie, then the Vice President -when acting in the President's place - would only vote when there is a tie.

However, normally the Chairman (President) would normally be able to vote, make motions, debate, etc. just like any member if it is a small Board or a Committee meeting.

[jstackpo]

If you have a rule that the President only votes in the event of a tie, then the Vice President -when acting in the President's place - would only vote when there is a tie.

Maybe. It could depend on the exact words of the bylaws. If they say that the presiding officer only votes when there is a tie, the the VP, when presiding, is bound by that rule too.

But if the bylaws say that "The President" only..., then, I'd say that the VP, when presiding is NOT bound by that rule.

So, as ever, read the bylaws!

[Rev Ed]

But if the bylaws say that "The President" only..., then, I'd say that the VP, when presiding is NOT bound by that rule.

I would not say that - the main reason of a Vice President is to step in for "The President" when "The President" us unavailable. Therefore, if "The President" is unavailable, then "The Vice President" steps into the role of "The President" and takes on "The President's" duties and responsibilities.

[jstackpo]

I would not say that - the main reason of a Vice President is to step in for "The President" when "The President" us unavailable. Therefore, if "The President" is unavailable, then "The Vice President" steps into the role of "The President" and takes on "The President's" duties and responsibilities.

But not all of them. For example, if bylaws say that the President appoints (names people to) committees, the VP does NOT get to make appointments, even though he may be presiding at the meeting where the committee is formed ('cause the Pres, is out of town, say). RONR, p. [495/478]*.

Since the VP doesn't get the right to make appointments when presiding, he doesn't lose the right to vote in non-tie situations when the bylaws say "The President" has such a limitation put upon him.

[Gary Novosielski]

If you have a rule that the President only votes in the event of a tie, then the Vice President -when acting in the President's place - would only vote when there is a tie.

I don't know how you can say that without having read the rule, presuming there is one.