Guest KiKi Posted May 16, 2012 at 08:37 PM Report Share Posted May 16, 2012 at 08:37 PM Our association allows for the board to conduct occasional email votes on time sensitive or emergency issues.The board always ratifies any email votes at the next board meeting.We (I am a board member) had an email vote on a time sensitive issue/motion, and one of the other board members chose not to vote on that issue/motion.However, at the next board meeting, the director who did not vote at all via email, did vote during the ratification. It did not change the outcome of the motion, but that member (the one who originially did not vot via email), is asking that his vote at the meeting be recorded.Our secretary is saying that he could not vote on the ratification if he did not vote on the original motion via email.My question/understanding is: that once it's open to ratification, it's open to debate and then he CAN vote on it.What is the answer/solution? Again, it did not change the results, and the motion still passed regardless of his vote at the meeting or not. Just not sure what to tell our secretary. Thanks, KiKi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Harrison Posted May 16, 2012 at 08:44 PM Report Share Posted May 16, 2012 at 08:44 PM A member has a right to vote on all questions before the assembly (RONR p. 3 ll.1-9). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. J. Posted May 16, 2012 at 08:48 PM Report Share Posted May 16, 2012 at 08:48 PM In the case of ratifying any action, all members of the body voting may vote (p. 3). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David A Foulkes Posted May 16, 2012 at 08:51 PM Report Share Posted May 16, 2012 at 08:51 PM Our association allows for the board to conduct occasional email votes on time sensitive or emergency issues.What do you mean by "our association allows" email voting? Do the bylaws allow it, or not? If they do, then I don't understand why an email vote needs to be ratified. If they don't, then email votes would need to be ratified, since they aren't proper votes until so ratified at a proper meeting. And, as noted, at that meeting every member has the right to vote. And what is the secretary doing pronouncing who has or has not the right to vote? That's not his/her duty anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest KiKi Posted May 16, 2012 at 09:08 PM Report Share Posted May 16, 2012 at 09:08 PM What do you mean by "our association allows" email voting? Do the bylaws allow it, or not? If they do, then I don't understand why an email vote needs to be ratified. If they don't, then email votes would need to be ratified, since they aren't proper votes until so ratified at a proper meeting. And, as noted, at that meeting every member has the right to vote. And what is the secretary doing pronouncing who has or has not the right to vote? That's not his/her duty anyway.Bylaws don't address it, but that is how it has been done since I have been on the board and by previous boards. It is ratified to inform the membership what transpired inbetween meetings and to make it official. Guess that answers the original question. Thanks for the point regarding every member has a right to vote. So simple, should have thought of that.Secretary, ha! Thats another battle, yes, our secretary tries to dictate when she can. Thanks for the clarification. KIKI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jstackpo Posted May 16, 2012 at 09:25 PM Report Share Posted May 16, 2012 at 09:25 PM In case you need a reference, no e-mail (or other absentee) voting, unless in the bylaws, is covered on p. 423. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David A Foulkes Posted May 16, 2012 at 11:11 PM Report Share Posted May 16, 2012 at 11:11 PM Secretary, ha! Thats another battle, yes, our secretary tries to dictate when she can. Thanks for the clarification. KIKIWell, it's not to say the Secretary, as a member of the assembly, doesn't have the right to raise a Point of Order should a violation of the rules occur. But she does not make rulings, or otherwise dictate such things as who can or cannot vote on any particular issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trina Posted May 17, 2012 at 10:23 AM Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 at 10:23 AM Our association allows for the board to conduct occasional email votes on time sensitive or emergency issues.The board always ratifies any email votes at the next board meeting.We (I am a board member) had an email vote on a time sensitive issue/motion, and one of the other board members chose not to vote on that issue/motion.However, at the next board meeting, the director who did not vote at all via email, did vote during the ratification. It did not change the outcome of the motion, but that member (the one who originially did not vot via email), is asking that his vote at the meeting be recorded.Our secretary is saying that he could not vote on the ratification if he did not vote on the original motion via email.My question/understanding is: that once it's open to ratification, it's open to debate and then he CAN vote on it.What is the answer/solution? Again, it did not change the results, and the motion still passed regardless of his vote at the meeting or not. Just not sure what to tell our secretary. Thanks, KiKiThis point, about the vote being recorded, hasn't been addressed yet (or maybe I missed it). Unless a roll call vote is taken, in which case everyone's vote is recorded, this business of members asking that their individual opinions during a vote be recorded is not generally appropriate or necessary. In asking for such a record, the member is basically making a request of the assembly (a request about the content of the minutes), and the assembly can decide (by vote) whether or not to grant the member's request to have his vote recorded. The decision is not up to the individual member (e.g. "I demand that my vote be recorded in the minutes!"), nor is the decision up to the secretary alone.As others have noted, absentee voting is not allowed unless your bylaws specifically permit it. Now that you have seen a little bit of controversy over one of these e-mail 'votes', you might imagine what would happen if there was substantial disagreement following such a decision. Ratification of out-of-meeting actions is by no means guaranteed. And every member who shows up at the meeting absolutely has a right to participate in debate and vote, regardless of his/her previous participation in the unauthorized 'vote' by e-mail. If your organization wishes to continue the practice of voting by e-mail, put it explicitly into your bylaws, and spell out the details of how business can be conducted in this manner (RONR will not cover those details for you). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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