Electing a Nominating Committee

[Guest Ken Eimer]

This coming Sunday, I will be moderating a meeting to elect a committee that will search for a pastor for its congregation. The church board is presenting a slate of eight candidates whom it thinks will do a fine job in selecting this person. The names of the candidates have been made known by letter in advance. At the meeting, we will hand out biographical sketches of the candidates. Those who come to the meeting will have an opportunity to make nominations from the floor.

Questions:

1. Since we are presenting a slate to the congregation, I'm assuming the congregation cannot vote separately on each candidate. If there are no nominations from the floor, the slate is voted up or down. Is this correct? If yes, what is the RRO reference? If no, what is the RRO reference?

2. If there are nominations from the floor, I understand the congregation can expand the size of the committee to accomodate its nomination(s). What does RRO say about this?

3. If there are nominations from the floor, we can also have a run off. The eight candidates with the largest number of votes wins. If 2 is possible as well as 3, when do you introduce 2 into the conversation? For example, assuming there are nominations from the floor, I could wait until someone makes a motion to expand the size of the committee or I could initate that option myself. I would prefer not to initiate 2 because in my opinion, a run off clarifies the congregation's preference. Second, the larger the committee size, the more unwieldy it will be in terms of decision-making. According to RRO, how should I proceed?

[Tim Wynn]

This coming Sunday, I will be moderating a meeting to elect a committee that will search for a pastor for its congregation. The church board is presenting a slate of eight candidates whom it thinks will do a fine job in selecting this person. The names of the candidates have been made known by letter in advance. At the meeting, we will hand out biographical sketches of the candidates. Those who come to the meeting will have an opportunity to make nominations from the floor.

Questions:

1. Since we are presenting a slate to the congregation, I'm assuming the congregation cannot vote separately on each candidate. If there are no nominations from the floor, the slate is voted up or down. Is this correct? If yes, what is the RRO reference? If no, what is the RRO reference?

No, see RONR (11th ed.), p. 492 - 97.

2. If there are nominations from the floor, I understand the congregation can expand the size of the committee to accomodate its nomination(s). What does RRO say about this?

Is this committee listed in the bylaws, prescribing a specific number of members? If not, the assembly has control over the size.

3. If there are nominations from the floor, we can also have a run off. The eight candidates with the largest number of votes wins. If 2 is possible as well as 3, when do you introduce 2 into the conversation? For example, assuming there are nominations from the floor, I could wait until someone makes a motion to expand the size of the committee or I could initate that option myself. I would prefer not to initiate 2 because in my opinion, a run off clarifies the congregation's preference. Second, the larger the committee size, the more unwieldy it will be in terms of decision-making. According to RRO, how should I proceed?

I'm afraid you're losing me a little bit. If the number of positions on the committee is prescribed, you will only have that many members on the committee. If the number of positions is not specified, see page 165, lines 10-12.

[Guest Guest]

On question # 3: There is no prescribed number for this committee. A committee of eight was arrived at because it was thought to be small enough to accomodate nominations from the floor, assumingthe committee is expanded, and large enough to keep working if the committee lost one or two members.

Are you suggesting that, since there is no determined size, an expansion of the committee is our only choice, or the preferred one, or is a run off possible to keep the committee size at eight. If the latter is possible, do I pose both options (expansion or run-off) to the assembly simultaneously and have them decide which path they want to pursue or can I assume one path (let's say a run off). If someone wants to expand the size of the committee, I can entertain the motion at that time. I have been advised to address expanding the size of the committee if someone from the assembly initiates it. Assume a run off otherwise. It's a complicated situation here, partly due to how elections like this were held in the past. I have my own thoughts on the matter but I wanted to know what RRO dictates. I have the tenth editon handy, not the eleventh.

I hope this helps to clarify my concern.

[sMargaret]

Do you have anything in the bylaws about this committee?

Wondering out loud - perhaps you'd like to start by having a motion to create a nominating committee, to consist of __ # of members, members to be elected by plurality vote. People would have the ability to amend that motion to increase or decrease the number of members.

Perhaps during the debate on this motion, there could be some sort of straw poll of those who are interested in running for committee...?

[Guest Edgar]

Perhaps during the debate on this motion, there could be some sort of straw poll of those who are interested in running for committee...?

A straw poll? Oh my!

Turn to p.429 and reach for the defibrillator is there are any parliamentarians in the room.

Clear!

[Tim Wynn]

On question # 3: There is no prescribed number for this committee. A committee of eight was arrived at because it was thought to be small enough to accomodate nominations from the floor, assumingthe committee is expanded, and large enough to keep working if the committee lost one or two members.

Are you suggesting that, since there is no determined size, an expansion of the committee is our only choice, or the preferred one, or is a run off possible to keep the committee size at eight. If the latter is possible, do I pose both options (expansion or run-off) to the assembly simultaneously and have them decide which path they want to pursue or can I assume one path (let's say a run off). If someone wants to expand the size of the committee, I can entertain the motion at that time. I have been advised to address expanding the size of the committee if someone from the assembly initiates it. Assume a run off otherwise. It's a complicated situation here, partly due to how elections like this were held in the past. I have my own thoughts on the matter but I wanted to know what RRO dictates. I have the tenth editon handy, not the eleventh.

I hope this helps to clarify my concern.

Who "arrived at" the number 8? You say the number is not prescribed.

It sounds like maybe somebody just unofficially decided to make it 8. The assembly should decide the size in the motion to create the committee.

[sMargaret]

Let me rephrase straw poll, then, as it's not quite the wording I was going for (defibrillatation is fun, though).

Is there any way of asking, perhaps as a point of information, for an indication of the number of people who may be interested in serving on the committee, so for the assembly to better determine how many people should serve?

Presumably the answer will come as a balance between "8 seems like a good number", and "but we really want Anthea on that committee too".

[Tim Wynn]

Let me rephrase straw poll, then, as it's not quite the wording I was going for (defibrillatation is fun, though).

Is there any way of asking, perhaps as a point of information, for an indication of the number of people who may be interested in serving on the committee, so for the assembly to better determine how many people should serve?

Presumably the answer will come as a balance between "8 seems like a good number", and "but we really want Anthea on that committee too".

Yes, they could try nominations and debate.

[sMargaret]

Yes, they could try nominations and debate.

Perhaps it's just time of day that's making my brain fuzzy. Is there a way that doesn't involve taking everybody nominated? I think that the OP is trying to avoid that scenario. Nominations, motion for committee size, and then election?

[Guest ken eimer]

Reply to Mr. Winn et al.

The number 8 was arrived at by the church board. In our polity structure, it is usual and customary for the board to recommend a certain number to serve on this particular nominating commitee. It's a recommendation, not anything that's binding. By the way, how the church board reached the number eight and how the slate was selected is explained to the congregation. When nominations from the floor and made and one or more people accept, some congregations I've been associated with have run-offs. In other words, it's generally assumed that whatever number of people the church board recommends is fixed. I have learned that this is not correct.

Personally, I think an election of candidates for a fixed number of slots is good idea because it clarifies who the assembly really wants to serve on the committee. An election means to choose. If you expand the size of the committee to accomodate the nominees, you choose in one sense but not in another. No particular candidate or candidates rise to the top.

That being said, if it's the perogative of the assembly to expand the size of the committee (and I fully understand why) is a run off also an option? In other words, is the assembly given a choice between expanding the size of the committee or keeping the committee at eight or is run off even possible under RRO.

Finally, if both are possible, do I as moderator introduce both options simultaneously? I'm thinking I should. I have been advised to go with a run off and only deal with expanding the size of the committee if the assembly (congregation) requests it.

[Matt Schafer]

The number 8 was arrived at by the church board. In our polity structure, it is usual and customary for the board to recommend a certain number to serve on this particular nominating commitee. It's a recommendation, not anything that's binding.

. . .

That being said, if it's the perogative of the assembly to expand the size of the committee (and I fully understand why) is a run off also an option? In other words, is the assembly given a choice between expanding the size of the committee or keeping the committee at eight or is run off even possible under RRO.

Finally, if both are possible, do I as moderator introduce both options simultaneously? I'm thinking I should. I have been advised to go with a run off and only deal with expanding the size of the committee if the assembly (congregation) requests it.

I'm not sure what you mean by a "run off" as part of the selection of committee members. But how big the committee is and which people are appointed are -- in my mind, at least -- two separate decisions.

The assembly may choose to set the size of the committee at 8 members, as recommended by the board. But it should still make a decision by adopting a motion specifying the committee's size. The assembly may decide that a bigger or smaller committee is better. Once you know how many people are to be appointed to the committee, then you choose the members.

Will you be selecting the committee's members by voice vote or ballot? The default under RONR is by voice vote. With a voice vote, the chair takes a vote on each name in the order they are nominated, presumably starting with the list of nominees recommended by the board. A majority vote is required to appoint a person to the committee. Once you get the required number of people appointed by a majority vote, the voting is complete, even if you haven't gotten through the entire list of nominees. (See RONR 10th ed., page 476, line 12 through page 477, line 16.)

If the committee will be appointed by ballot, then each member can vote for the same number of people as the size of the committee. Any person receiving a majority of the votes cast is appointed. If there are still spots to fill, then you vote again in the same way, leaving off the names of those already appointed (and voting only for the number of people as there are spots left to fill). If there are more who receive a majority than the size of the committee, those receiving the most votes are appointed. If there is a tie for the lowest number of votes, then those people are not appointed and you have another ballot. (See RONR 10th ed., page 475, line 28 through page 476, line 11. Pay particular attention to the cross references, which have additional information.)

The whole process is explained in detail on pages 474 through 481. Please read the process outlined in RONR; it's better than what I wrote here. Also, there may be differences in details between the 10th edition and the 11th. Probably should pick up a copy of the 11th.

[Gary c Tesser]

Perhaps it's just time of day that's making my brain fuzzy. Is there a way that doesn't involve taking everybody nominated? I think that the OP is trying to avoid that scenario. Nominations, motion for committee size, and then election?

That's one way. Or, motion for committee size earlier, as you said. I doubt that sMargaret or I would get much flak (yes, there's already been some) for suggesting that it would be a salutary aid to saving time and effort for the chair to take a moment to see who would be interested.