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President Votes?


Guest maple person

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We have a 9 member board of directors. I had always thought that the president did not vote on matters unless to break a tie, but a newly elected director feels the President votes on all matters. Can you please correct me.

In a board of that size, the rules for small boards and committees would apply, which allow the presiding officer to vote on all questions, if he is a member. See RONR (11th ed.), p. 488, ll. 18-20.

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We have a 9 member board of directors. I had always thought that the president did not vote on matters unless to break a tie, but a newly elected director feels the President votes on all matters. Can you please correct me.

FAQ #1 is feeling unloved http://www.robertsrules.com/faq.html#1

Guest_maple_person, do pay attention to the language shift in FAQ #1 from "president" to "presiding officer" to "chair", as well as from "break a tie" to "affect the result" [of the vote].

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On page 9, 11th edition, RONR, it states: "In small boards and committees, most parliamentary rules apply, but certain modifications permitting greater flexibility and informality are commonly allowed."

If a small board wishes to use the large board rules, would they not be able to, by a decision of that board?

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On page 9, 11th edition, RONR, it states: "In small boards and committees, most parliamentary rules apply, but certain modifications permitting greater flexibility and informality are commonly allowed."

If a small board wishes to use the large board rules, would they not be able to, by a decision of that board?

Yes. This question (president voting to break a tie) pops up with great regularlity, and your question occasionally is included in the responses that follow.

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On page 9, 11th edition, RONR, it states: "In small boards and committees, most parliamentary rules apply, but certain modifications permitting greater flexibility and informality are commonly allowed."

If a small board wishes to use the large board rules, would they not be able to, by a decision of that board?

If you're referring to adopting a special rule of order to that effect, see p. 486, ll. 17-19.

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I do not think that the rules in RONR preclude maple person's board from deciding for itself whether or not it will follow the informal procedures described on pages 487-88.

I doubt that it could adopt such a special rule of order that would have continuing force until rescinded. It seems tantamount to adopting any other special rule of order that would, for example, limit the number of speeches in debate.

The board's ability to decide how to conduct itself during any given session is a different question.

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I doubt that it could adopt such a special rule of order that would have continuing force until rescinded. It seems tantamount to adopting any other special rule of order that would, for example, limit the number of speeches in debate.

In this connection, I suffer from no such doubts. :)

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Yes. This question (president voting to break a tie) pops up with great regularlity, and your question occasionally is included in the responses that follow.

And it is not just to break a tie. The president can vote to cause a tie (and thus defeat) of a motion.

And I'm fairly confident that falls within the

....."affect the result" [of the vote].

concept to which I referred in my previous post.

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