No President for election

[Guest FPS]

Our organization just held elections and only a Secretary was chosen, the President, VP and Treasuer have chosen not to run and no one else stepped up. Our bylaws do not state sucession other than the VP takes over if no President. Would this automatically make the Secretary the President? Or is the previous President and VP held until someone else is found.

[Guest Edgar]

Would this automatically make the Secretary the President? Or is the previous President and VP held until someone else is found.

There is no succession. Depending on how your bylaws define the terms of office, the current president, vice-president, and treasurer might remain in office until their successors are elected or the offices might be vacant until you can complete the election.

[jstackpo]

First check the bylaws. Officers (current ones) may be in office "until the election of their successors" - if no election, they STAY in (at least until they quit or you finally do have an election).

Or the offices may fall vacant, and some vacancy filling provision in your bylaws will kick in.

Or....

Announce that because of a lack of leadership interest, the organization will dissolve itself and go out of business. Really. Organizations don't last forever, and it is much better to close up shop formally than just drift along, and then wonder what happened to the bank account, far too long after the fact to do anything about it.

Often enough a threat like this one will shake some people out of the woodwork who will be willing to serve after all. But if it doesn't, there is a message there...

You might also consider WHY no one wants to be president. Perhaps you're asking too much of that position. Perhaps the past presidents have made the job appear more difficult than it has to be. Perhaps the members are making it harder on the president than they should.

Perhaps the board should be doing more. After all, the only essential role of the president is to preside at meetings. Some or all administrative responsibilities could be delegated to, or distributed among, the board members.

[Guest FPS]

The term is defined as January 1st until December 31st. What if they refuse to stay in place as they have done, is the Secretary the Temporary Chair until positions are filled. Our Bylaws allow for the President to fill vacant positions so would the out going President appoint their replacement prior to the end of her term

[Guest Edgar]

Or the offices may fall vacant, and some vacancy filling provision in your bylaws will kick in.

For an incomplete election?

[Guest Edgar]

Our Bylaws allow for the President to fill vacant positions so would the out going President appoint their replacement prior to the end of her term

No. An incomplete election is not the same thing as a (mid-term) vacancy. It looks like you've got some recruiting to do.

[Gary Novosielski]

The term is defined as January 1st until December 31st. What if they refuse to stay in place as they have done, is the Secretary the Temporary Chair until positions are filled. Our Bylaws allow for the President to fill vacant positions so would the out going President appoint their replacement prior to the end of her term

Once again: No, the secretary does not automatically succeed to any office, if you're using the rules in RONR.

A "vacancy" is created when an unexpired term of office becomes vacant. When the terms end normally, the way to replace them is by an election. The president can't use vacancy-filling powers to substitute for an election.

Hold the election, pass out blank ballots and have people write in names. Very often people who won't volunteer will agree to serve if actually elected.

(A majority of the votes cast is necessary for election, else continue to vote on second, third, or subsequent ballots.)

[Tim Wynn]

The term is defined as January 1st until December 31st. What if they refuse to stay in place as they have done, is the Secretary the Temporary Chair until positions are filled. Our Bylaws allow for the President to fill vacant positions so would the out going President appoint their replacement prior to the end of her term

In the absence of the president and vp, the secretary should call the meeting to order and preside over the election of a temporary chair, who will preside for the duration of the meeting, unless a president should materialize.