Voting on Vacancy

[Guest Bob]

Scenario:

The President of our organization resigned at our May 11 meeting.

Our bylaws state:

"Vacancies that may occur in the offices by reason of death, resignation, termination of membership, or removal from office may be filled by election at the next regular meeting."

At our May 11 meeting, the same meeting where the President resigned, the Chair took nominations and a vote to fill the vacancy. A new President was presumably elected.

My question is if the bylaws state that a vacancy is to be filled by election at the next regular meeting, then was it a violation of the bylaws to hold the election to fill the vacancy at the same meeting (May 11) when the officer resigned?

Thank you.

[George Mervosh]

Under the rules in RONR, due to the way your bylaws are worded there was no need to hold an election to fill the vacant office of President as your {first} VP is now President.

[Chris Harrison]

Under the rules in RONR, due to the way your bylaws are worded there was no need to hold an election to fill the vacant office of President as your {first} VP is now President.

...Which can be cited on RONR p. 575 ll. 6-17 which means that the vacancy in the office of VP (or the lowest ranking one if there are multiple who moved up) would need to be filled at the next meeting. Also, yes the bylaws were violated because they say "Vacancies that may occur ...may be filled by election at the next regular meeting" so even if the election to fill the vacancy in the Presidency was proper it would be null and void because the bylaws were violated (RONR p. 251[a]).

[Gary Novosielski]

Scenario:

The President of our organization resigned at our May 11 meeting.

Our bylaws state:

"Vacancies that may occur in the offices by reason of death, resignation, termination of membership, or removal from office may be filled by election at the next regular meeting."

At our May 11 meeting, the same meeting where the President resigned, the Chair took nominations and a vote to fill the vacancy. A new President was presumably elected.

My question is if the bylaws state that a vacancy is to be filled by election at the next regular meeting, then was it a violation of the bylaws to hold the election to fill the vacancy at the same meeting (May 11) when the officer resigned?

Thank you.

You should have voted at the next meeting, and you should have been voting to fill the vacancy in the vice-presidency. There never was a vacancy in the presidency.