Guest Angela Posted March 9, 2012 at 03:07 PM Report Share Posted March 9, 2012 at 03:07 PM Under the rules, when I decide I need to abstain, am I required to state the reason why I am not voting?Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Harrison Posted March 9, 2012 at 03:10 PM Report Share Posted March 9, 2012 at 03:10 PM Nope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Angela Posted March 9, 2012 at 03:19 PM Report Share Posted March 9, 2012 at 03:19 PM I didn't think so, but I'm expecting some fall out from my decision, so I wanted to be ready to spill the beans if necessary. Now, I get to keep the beans in the can. Yay!Thanks for the quick reply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Edgar Posted March 9, 2012 at 03:30 PM Report Share Posted March 9, 2012 at 03:30 PM I didn't think so, but I'm expecting some fall out from my decision, so I wanted to be ready to spill the beans if necessary. Now, I get to keep the beans in the can. Yay!And, if the vote is by ballot, you can submit a blank ballot so no one will even know you abstained. How cool is that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trina Posted March 9, 2012 at 04:10 PM Report Share Posted March 9, 2012 at 04:10 PM Under the rules, when I decide I need to abstain, am I required to state the reason why I am not voting?Thanks!RONR (11th ed.) p. 407 clearly describes the RIGHT OF ABSTENTION (ll 12-19). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rev Ed Posted March 9, 2012 at 05:54 PM Report Share Posted March 9, 2012 at 05:54 PM You do not have to state a reason for abstaining. And no one has the right to force you to defend your position (or lack of position) on a motion. However, during debate you could always state that you will be abstaining with the reason(s) why. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Miriam Posted March 10, 2012 at 09:06 PM Report Share Posted March 10, 2012 at 09:06 PM What is the difference between a no vote and abstaining ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trina Posted March 10, 2012 at 09:07 PM Report Share Posted March 10, 2012 at 09:07 PM What is the difference between a no vote and abstaining ?A 'no' vote is a vote against the motion. An abstention isn't a vote at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Miriam Posted March 10, 2012 at 09:12 PM Report Share Posted March 10, 2012 at 09:12 PM Thank you Trina !Must I explain a no vote ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trina Posted March 10, 2012 at 09:15 PM Report Share Posted March 10, 2012 at 09:15 PM Thank you Trina !Must I explain a no vote ?No. The time to talk about why you intend to vote 'no' is during debate, when there's a chance of persuading other people to your point of view. However, you do not have to say anything even then if you don't want to. Volunteering to explain your 'no' vote after the fact would actually be improper, and certainly no one should be asking you to explain why you voted the way you did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Miriam Posted March 10, 2012 at 09:16 PM Report Share Posted March 10, 2012 at 09:16 PM Why use abstention ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David A Foulkes Posted March 10, 2012 at 09:18 PM Report Share Posted March 10, 2012 at 09:18 PM Volunteering to explain your 'no' vote after the fact would actually be improper....Well, at some point it would be okay, right? Certainly not during voting, or while other business is pending and such remarks would not be germane. But maybe after the meeting it would be okay? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David A Foulkes Posted March 10, 2012 at 09:45 PM Report Share Posted March 10, 2012 at 09:45 PM Why use abstention ?Under some circumstances, it is best to abstain. If you have a personal or pecuniary interest (in the pending question) not in common with others, you should abstain, though you cannot be compelled to either. In some votes, an abstention has the same effect as a no vote, such as a majority of the members present. It would be possible to help defeat a motion without actually voting against it by abstaining.But in the general case, you would abstain if you didn't have a preference either way. By abstaining, you are letting the other members decide, and you are willing to accept what the majority decides, either to adopt the motion or defeat it. I can't think of a good reason to abstain in the general case. Perhaps someone will come along with one. RONR says "it is the duty of every member who has an opinion on a question to express it with his vote" (p. 407 ll. 12-14), so if you don't have an opinion at all, well............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trina Posted March 10, 2012 at 11:28 PM Report Share Posted March 10, 2012 at 11:28 PM Well, at some point it would be okay, right? Certainly not during voting, or while other business is pending and such remarks would not be germane. But maybe after the meeting it would be okay?Sure -- I was thinking of what is proper at the meeting. RONR doesn't regulate what people talk about after the meeting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.