annual elections

[Guest jimmer317]

our dept is having its annual ellections. at this time it seems no one is taking president or vice president. how do we handle this?

[Chris Harrison]

How do your bylaws define the term of office for President and VP?  Is it a fixed term or a fixed term with qualifying language such as "and/or until their successor is elected"?  If there is qualifying language then the current P & VP will remain in office until someone is elected but if there is no qualifying language then the offices will fall vacant after the term expires.  In either case you all should do whatever possible to get people to agree to serve in both offices.  Ask yourselves why no one is interested in serving and if there is anything you can do to make the jobs more desirable.

[Guest jimmer317]

it is a fixed term. is there anything where it would say, the current president remains until someone takes it? 

[Chris Harrison]

it is a fixed term. is there anything where it would say, the current president remains until someone takes it? 

If it is a fixed term then the office will fall vacant when the term expires.  See RONR pp. 573-574  for detail.

[jstackpo]

Another point of view...

 

First check the bylaws.  Officers (current ones) may be in office "until the election of their successors" - if no election, they STAY in (at least until they quit or you finally do complete the election).

Or....

Announce that because of a lack of leadership interest, the organization will dissolve itself and go out of business.  Really.  Organizations don't last forever, and it is much better to close up shop formally than just drift along, and then wonder what happened to the bank account, far too long after the fact to do anything about it.

Often enough a threat like this one will shake some people out of the woodwork who will be willing to serve after all.  But if it doesn't, there is a message there...


You might also consider WHY no one wants to be president. Perhaps you're asking too much of that position. Perhaps the past presidents have made the job appear more difficult than it has to be. Perhaps the members are making it harder on the president than they should.

Perhaps the board should be doing more. After all, the only essential role of the president is to preside at meetings. Some or all administrative responsibilities could be delegated to, or distributed among, the board members.
 

[Josh Martin]

it is a fixed term. is there anything where it would say, the current president remains until someone takes it? 

 

If you don't have the "until their successors are elected" clause (which is highly recommended), no. You'll have no President or Vice President when their terms end, unless you elect people. So it looks like you should try even harder now.

 

In the event that the assembly postpones the election, you'll elect a Chairman Pro Tempore to serve as presiding officer at each meeting (or for a longer period if previous notice is provided). This officer will not have any of the other duties or authority of the office of President that your bylaws might assign, however, so complete those elections as soon as possible.