Members who abstained from a vote may not move to Reconsider....Is this true?

[Guest General Jeff]

Can a member of a Board who abstained in the original vote, subsequently "move a reconsideration" vote?

 

It was mentioned in my previous post that this type of action was not allowable, but where can I find this ruling in Robert's Rules of Order?

 

We have a Board meeting tonight and I need to find this asap!!!!.....Thanks.

[George Mervosh]

Can a member of a Board who abstained in the original vote, subsequently "move a reconsideration" vote?

 

It was mentioned in my previous post that this type of action was not allowable, but where can I find this ruling in Robert's Rules of Order?

 

We have a Board meeting tonight and I need to find this asap!!!!.....Thanks.

 

"It can be made only by a member who voted with the prevailing side. In other words, a reconsideration can be moved only by one who voted aye if the motion involved was adopted, or no if the motion was lost"  RONR (11th ed.), p. 315

 

If "tonight" is a new board meeting, no one can make it, because it's too late to do so.

 

"The making of this motion is subject to time limits, as follows: In a session of one day—such as an ordinary meeting of a club or a one-day convention—the motion to Reconsider can be made only on the same day the vote to be reconsidered was taken."  RONR (11th ed.), p. 316

[Guest General Jeff]

To respond, our by-laws have been revised to state that a motion for reconsideration can be made either immediately at the same Board meeting OR at the next Board meeting...So it can be done.....In this case, it was done by someone other than the prevailing party.

[Rev Ed]

Well, the By-laws trump anything found in RONR.  However, a motion to "Amend Something Previously Adopted" could be made to bring the issue back up at a next meeting so I wonder why the reconsider option was placed into the By-laws in the first place (other then it was placed there by someone who did not understand parliamentary procedure.)

[Josh Martin]

Well, the By-laws trump anything found in RONR.  However, a motion to "Amend Something Previously Adopted" could be made to bring the issue back up at a next meeting so I wonder why the reconsider option was placed into the By-laws in the first place (other then it was placed there by someone who did not understand parliamentary procedure.)

 

I would note that the motion to Reconsider requires only a majority vote for adoption, while Rescind or Amend Something Previously Adopted requires a 2/3 vote, a vote of a majority of the entire membership, or a majority vote with previous notice. So an assembly might be fully aware of ASPA and adopt rules permitting Reconsider to be made at the next meeting in order to make it easier for the assembly to change its mind (within certain time limits).

 

That doesn't necessarily mean your guess is wrong, but there is conceivably a reason for such a rule other than failing to understand RONR.

[jstackpo]

To respond, our by-laws have been revised to state that a motion for reconsideration can be made either immediately at the same Board meeting OR at the next Board meeting...So it can be done.....In this case, it was done by someone other than the prevailing party.

 

If your "revision" of the bylaws extending the time limits to reconsider did NOT also change the "prevailing side" rule, then that rule is still in place and it was improper for the abstainer to move reconsideration.

 

However, done is done - it's too late to raise a point of order now - p. 250.

[Josh Martin]

However, done is done - it's too late to raise a point of order now - p. 250.

 

Based upon the facts presented in this thread and the previous thread, it doesn't look like it has happened yet.

[jstackpo]

Mixed messages from Gereral_Jeff:

 

 

We have a Board meeting tonight and I need to find this asap!!!!.....Thanks.

 

 

In this case, it was done by someone other than the prevailing party.

 

Can't tell at what meeting (or when) the motion to reconsider was made, or is anticipated to be made.

[Guest ABSTAINED AND THE RESCIND?]

One of our members abstained a vote, which passed. Next meeting she wanted to rescind her vote. Can she rescind when she abstained?

[Josh Martin]

15 minutes ago, Guest ABSTAINED AND THE RESCIND? said:

One of our members abstained a vote, which passed. Next meeting she wanted to rescind her vote. Can she rescind when she abstained?

For future reference, please post a new question in a new thread.

In response to your question, I'm not entirely clear what is being asked here. If the question is whether the member may move to rescind the motion, the answer is yes. A member who abstained may move to rescind. Unlike the motion to reconsider, the motion to rescind may be made by any member, regardless of how (or if) the member voted on the original motion. The motion to rescind requires a 2/3 vote, a vote of a majority of the entire membership, or a majority vote with previous notice for adoption.

Your question said, however, "Next meeting she wanted to rescind her vote," which makes it sound like she wants to "rescind" her individual vote. If that is the question, the answer is no. for one thing, the member didn't vote in the first place, so she doesn't have a vote to rescind. Additionally, it is much too late for a member to change their vote. 

Edited March 5, 2021 at 09:12 PM by Josh Martin