Janwor Posted November 13, 2011 at 01:50 PM Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 at 01:50 PM If a member of a 3 person-nominating committee becomes a candidate for office, does that member still have a part in counting the votes?Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trina Posted November 13, 2011 at 01:55 PM Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 at 01:55 PM According to RONR, the nominating committee goes out of business after making its report (i.e. presenting its nominations). Why is your nominating committee involved in vote counting? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Wynn Posted November 13, 2011 at 02:07 PM Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 at 02:07 PM If a member of a 3 person-nominating committee becomes a candidate for office, does that member still have a part in counting the votes?Thank you!The chair should appoint tellers to distribute, collect, and count the ballots. RONR doesn't prohibit a nominee from serving as a teller. See RONR (11th ed.), p. 414, ll. 6-20. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janwor Posted November 13, 2011 at 02:09 PM Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 at 02:09 PM Who would be responsible for counting and tallying the votes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trina Posted November 13, 2011 at 02:11 PM Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 at 02:11 PM See Mr. Wynn's prescient response. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Harrison Posted November 13, 2011 at 02:12 PM Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 at 02:12 PM Who would be responsible for counting and tallying the votes?The Teller's Committee as mentioned by Mr. Wynn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janwor Posted November 13, 2011 at 02:50 PM Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 at 02:50 PM Is it possible for the organization's bylaws to give the counting duty to the nominating committee?Is Roberts the final answer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Harrison Posted November 13, 2011 at 03:05 PM Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 at 03:05 PM The bylaws can be amended to give the Tellers' duties to the Nominating Committee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Wynn Posted November 13, 2011 at 03:18 PM Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 at 03:18 PM Is it possible for the organization's bylaws to give the counting duty to the nominating committee?Is Roberts the final answer?Yes, the bylaws can be amended to assign additional duties to a committee, but what's wrong with appointing tellers in the meeting? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trina Posted November 13, 2011 at 03:31 PM Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 at 03:31 PM Is it possible for the organization's bylaws to give the counting duty to the nominating committee?Is Roberts the final answer?If you're saying that your bylaws already do give the counting duty to the nominating committee, then, of course, that's possible. The bylaws supersede what is said in RONR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Novosielski Posted November 13, 2011 at 10:08 PM Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 at 10:08 PM A person's nomination as a candidate would not preclude that person from serving on the nominating committee, according to RONR. So, if your bylaws unwisely provide that the nominating committee counts the votes, that would appear to include the candidate in question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trina Posted November 13, 2011 at 10:12 PM Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 at 10:12 PM ...So, if your bylaws unwisely provide that the nominating committee counts the votes, that would appear to include the candidate in question.Why is this inherently unwise (not asking a rhetorical question -- I'm curious what the hazards are, in your opinion)? Should no member who made a nomination be involved in vote counting? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shmuel Gerber Posted November 13, 2011 at 10:17 PM Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 at 10:17 PM Why is this inherently unwise (not asking a rhetorical question -- I'm curious what the hazards are, in your opinion)? Should no member who made a nomination be involved in vote counting?Tellers should be chosen to represent the interests of all factions. That's not likely to happen if the tellers are the members of the nominating committee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Wynn Posted November 13, 2011 at 10:23 PM Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 at 10:23 PM Why is this inherently unwise (not asking a rhetorical question -- I'm curious what the hazards are, in your opinion)? Should no member who made a nomination be involved in vote counting?To me it's unwise because the nominating committee has a specific duty, which has nothing to do with ballots. It's akin to combining the 100 yard dash and fishing*. Unfortunately, it's all too common for organizations to believe that the nominating committee runs the election. *That reference should be attributed to Norm MacDonald. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Novosielski Posted November 14, 2011 at 12:26 AM Report Share Posted November 14, 2011 at 12:26 AM To me it's unwise because the nominating committee has a specific duty, which has nothing to do with ballots. It's akin to combining the 100 yard dash and fishing*. Unfortunately, it's all too common for organizations to believe that the nominating committee runs the election.Or combining swimming, cycling, and running. Oh, wait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trina Posted November 14, 2011 at 12:32 AM Report Share Posted November 14, 2011 at 12:32 AM Tellers should be chosen to represent the interests of all factions. That's not likely to happen if the tellers are the members of the nominating committee.Would you go further and say that no member who has made a nomination should be selected as a teller then? I would think that individuals making nominations might be even more likely to represent a faction than would the nominating committee (the committee is at least charged with selecting the best people to carry out the work of the organization). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Wynn Posted November 14, 2011 at 12:39 AM Report Share Posted November 14, 2011 at 12:39 AM Would you go further and say that no member who has made a nomination should be selected as a teller then? I would think that individuals making nominations might be even more likely to represent a faction than would the nominating committee (the committee is at least charged with selecting the best people to carry out the work of the organization).See RONR(11th ed.), p. 414, ll. 12-20 (particularly 17-20). You may be reading the wrong thing into Mr. Gerber's point about representing interests. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Novosielski Posted November 14, 2011 at 12:42 AM Report Share Posted November 14, 2011 at 12:42 AM Why is this inherently unwise (not asking a rhetorical question -- I'm curious what the hazards are, in your opinion)? Should no member who made a nomination be involved in vote counting?I think it's unwise for the reason Tim pointed out.And I don't think it's unwise for someone who made a nomination to be involved in vote counting, but I think it is at least unusual for an actual candidate to be involved in vote counting.RONR does not prohibit it, however. It only provides:The tellers should be chosen for accuracy and dependability, should have the confidence of the membership, and should not have a direct personal involvement in the question or in the result of the vote to an extent that they should refrain from voting under the principle stated on page 407. Often their position with regard to the issue involved is well known, however, and they are frequently chosen to protect the interests of each opposing side.Since candidates are free to vote for themselves, they are eligible to serve as tellers, but as a chair I would still be loath to appoint one as such. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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