In election same person accepted nomination for two different positions

[Guest question]

One person - nominated for two different positions. Do we put their name on the ballot for both positions? Or do they need to select one? If we allow for both - what happens if they are elected for both? We cannot have one person doing two positions, correct? Bylaws don't cover this.

[Trina]

Nothing in RONR prevents a person from running from multiple positions, or from serving in multiple positions. Apparently your bylaws don't either. The person's name can appear twice on the ballot, and you go ahead and hold the election.

There is a new provision in RONR (11th edition) p. 440 that you should probably look at -- basically, a person isn't elected to two positions via a single ballot unless the motion or rules governing the election provide for that. In the absence of such a rule, the assembly must take some extra steps to elect one person to two positions. It can still be done, though.

[Gary Novosielski]

One person - nominated for two different positions. Do we put their name on the ballot for both positions? Or do they need to select one? If we allow for both - what happens if they are elected for both? We cannot have one person doing two positions, correct? Bylaws don't cover this.

No, she does not need to select in advance. Her name can appear on the ballot for both positions. She can wait to select which position to accept if in fact she wins both. But if she declines one, you'll need to hold another election for that position (whoever came in second didn't have a majority).

And unless your bylaws forbid it, she can run for and win that position too!