School Board Interim Supr selection when votes are tied

[janetdixon112]

I am a member of a 9 member school board. We have to select an interim superintendent and we have 3 candidates that will be offered up for consideration by 3 different board members. We will need a majority to obtain an interim. How do we acheive a majority if the votes result in a 3 3 3 or 4 3 2 vote ???

[Matt Schafer]

If no single person receives a majority, you vote again. And if the second ballot does not produce a majority vote, then you vote a third time, and so on. Note that all of the nominees remain on the ballot for subsequent balloting, unless one of them withdraws. See RONR, 11th edition, p. 439, l. 31 through p. 440, l. 2.

[janetdixon112]

...............then where and when will it all end? thanks so much!

[Trina]

And note that this thread is likely to be transplanted over into the General Discussion forum (in case you come looking for it again tomorrow with further questions).

[Matt Schafer]

...............then where and when will it all end? thanks so much!

Then you discover the joys of a deliberative assembly. In debate, you and the other members try to convince enough members to vote differently the next time to achieve a majority. Or someone can nominate a compromise candidate. (Yes, you can make a nomination before starting another round of balloting.)

[George Mervosh]

I am a member of a 9 member school board. We have to select an interim superintendent and we have 3 candidates that will be offered up for consideration by 3 different board members. We will need a majority to obtain an interim. How do we acheive a majority if the votes result in a 3 3 3 or 4 3 2 vote ???

The 11th Edition of RONR now provides that the rules may be suspended to drop the low vote-getter from the next round of balloting. See RONR, p. 441 for full details.

[Guest Edgar]

Note that all of the nominees remain on the ballot for subsequent balloting, unless one of them withdraws.

The 11th Edition of RONR now provides that the rules may be suspended to drop the low vote-getter from the next round of balloting. See RONR, p. 441 for full details.

Though that would not prevent members from voting for the "dropped" candidate even if, as RONR notes, there is an "expectation" that they won't.

[George Mervosh]

Though that would not prevent members from voting for the "dropped" candidate even if, as RONR notes, there is an "expectation" that they won't.

Probably with a school board that doesn't want to cause a public spectacle by voting all night, it might be a reasonable expectation.

[g40]

From the description of the issue, it seems to me that this is not an election, but rather a hiring decision.

[Guest Edgar]

From the description of the issue, it seems to me that this is not an election, but rather a hiring decision.

The two are not mutually exclusive. The election is the method by which the hiring decision is made.

[Trina]

From the description of the issue, it seems to me that this is not an election, but rather a hiring decision.

school board... superintendent... I think you're right.

The rules on filling a blank are probably what is called for. See RONR (11th ed.) p. 164 l. 28 - p. 165 l. 12 for details on FILLING A BLANK WITH NAMES.

[Trina]

The two are not mutually exclusive. The election is the method by which the hiring decision is made.

I think the process for filling a blank is significantly different than the process for an election. For one thing, there is no requirement that the motion with the blank be adopted at all in the end. Of course the school board may feel it is imperative to select an interim superintendent, but that isn't a parliamentary imperative. Also, I doubt that Mr. Mervosh's citation of p. 441 would apply to a motion which is not an election.

[Gary Novosielski]

Though that would not prevent members from voting for the "dropped" candidate even if, as RONR notes, there is an "expectation" that they won't.

Probably with a school board that doesn't want to cause a public spectacle by voting all night, it might be a reasonable expectation.

I think the reasonable expectation, from an addmittedly political point of view is that the discussion would take place in executive session, and would not conclude until a candidate was agreed upon who could achieve majority if not unanimous support, when voted on in public session.