plurality vote for directors

[abcdave]

Our organization recently held our annual general membership meeting and elected 10 new board members by plurality vote as per our bylaws. 15 people were on the ballot - the top ten vote getters were declared elected - they take office in July. Before taking office, one of them decides he can not do the job and he resigns (or declines?). Is the next highest vote getter now elected - or does this simply create a vacancy that would (according to our bylaws) be filled by the new board?

[Guest Edgar]

Before taking office, one of them decides he can not do the job and he resigns (or declines?).

Well, which is it?

What matters is not how long before taking office, but how long after being elected.

In any case, if you have an incomplete election (i.e. he declines), a loser doesn't become a winner. You'll need to vote again.

[Josh Martin]

Our organization recently held our annual general membership meeting and elected 10 new board members by plurality vote as per our bylaws. 15 people were on the ballot - the top ten vote getters were declared elected - they take office in July. Before taking office, one of them decides he can not do the job and he resigns (or declines?). Is the next highest vote getter now elected - or does this simply create a vacancy that would (according to our bylaws) be filled by the new board?

If the member refused the position at the time of the election (or, if he was not present, immediately after he learned of his election), then he declined. In that case, it's an incomplete election and a new election must be held to complete it.

If this happened later than that, it's a resignation, so you would follow the procedures to accept the resignation and fill the vacancy.

In either event, the "runner-up" doesn't automatically get the position.