Election Help

[Guest ElectionHelp]

In our election we have a nominating slate. We allow for members to submit candidates from the floor 24 hours prior to the election.

When we have more than one candidate for an office is there a certain order to place the names on a ballot?

I can think of four different methods, maybe there is more:

1. Nom. Committe choice and then the other candidate.

2. Alphabetically by first name

3. Alphabetically by last name

4. By a random drawing.

I am not sure it is covered.

Thanks

[Sean Hunt]

In our election we have a nominating slate. We allow for members to submit candidates from the floor 24 hours prior to the election.

The word "slate" is discouraged as it implies that they must be elected as a group.

When we have more than one candidate for an office is there a certain order to place the names on a ballot?

I can think of four different methods, maybe there is more:

1. Nom. Committe choice and then the other candidate.

2. Alphabetically by first name

3. Alphabetically by last name

4. By a random drawing.

I am not sure it is covered.

Thanks

Unless your bylaws say otherwise, members must be permitted to make write-in votes, so you have to include a space for them to write a candidate's name. With that in mind, I personally prefer to simply leave the candidates' names off the ballots. It makes it easier to reuse the ballots, too. If you want to include names, there is no particular order; arguably the best would be to print half one way and half the other, and then hand them out at random.

[Guest Edgar]

If you want to include names, there is no particular order; arguably the best would be to print half one way and half the other, and then hand them out at random.

Though that suggests there are only two ways in which to order the names.

My preference is for listing names alphabetically (by last name). That's the most apparent to anyone who looks at the list. With any other order you'll have some voters wondering why one candidate's name appears before another's. If the list is alphabetical, the rationale behind the ordering is obvious (or should be).

But RONR leaves this decision to each organization (though some here think there's some support for saying that candidates should be listed in the order in which they've been nominated).

[jstackpo]

But RONR leaves this decision to each organization (though some here think there's some support for saying that candidates should be listed in the order in which they've been nominated).

The OFFICES get nominated in the order they are listed in the bylaws. The book doesn't say so explicitly (!) but presumably they get elected in that order, too, if the election is run one office at a time.

For a ballot, the ordering of the CANDIDATES is not specified in the book. (Alpha is my preference, too.)

For a viva-voce election, the candidates are voted upon in the order that they were nominated - p. 442. First to get a majority is elected and then voting, for that office, ends.

In a viva-voce election is it possible, in effect, to vote for "None of the Above" by denying each of the candidates a majority vote. This is not possible/proper with a ballot vote - p. 430.

[George Mervosh]

The OFFICES get nominated in the order they are listed in the bylaws. The book doesn't say so explicitly (!) but presumably they get elected in that order, too, if the election is run one office at a time.

I think RONR (11th ed.), p. 440, l. 18-20 would be a proper citation though, John. Agree?

[jstackpo]

Looks good to me!

[Guest Patricia Cohen]

Can anyone tell me what RONR says about names being on a printed or electronic ballot? Alphabetically or not?

[Josh Martin]

Can anyone tell me what RONR says about names being on a printed or electronic ballot? Alphabetically or not?

 

RONR doesn't address the question of ballot order, although the sample ballot in the "Ballot Voting" article on the CD-ROM edition is in alphabetical order, for what it's worth.

 

Also, to the subject of electronic ballots, absentee voting is not permitted unless authorized in the bylaws.

 

For future reference, it's generally best on this forum to start a new topic for a new question, even if an existing topic seems similar.