# Executive Committee Votes of Co-Secretaries

[Guest Margaret Dunkle]

We have 4 officers -- Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, & Treasurer.  We just elected 2 people as Co-Secretaries.  Does that mean there are now 5 votes (1 per person, rathr than one per office) when we take an Executive Committee vote?  Or, instead, does each of the 2 Co-Secretaries Have half a vote -- so there are still 4 votes in the Executive Committee?

[jstackpo]

Co-secretaries, or co-anything for that matter, is strongly advised against by RONR because of just the sort of question you raise.

 

If "co-secretaries" is in your bylaws, it will be up to you to figure out the rules about them.  RONR doesn't (and won't!).

[Guest Edgar]

We have 4 officers -- Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, & Treasurer.  We just elected 2 people as Co-Secretaries.

 

You can't elect two people to the office of Secretary. Try again.

[Josh Martin]

We have 4 officers -- Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, & Treasurer.  We just elected 2 people as Co-Secretaries.  Does that mean there are now 5 votes (1 per person, rathr than one per office) when we take an Executive Committee vote?  Or, instead, does each of the 2 Co-Secretaries Have half a vote -- so there are still 4 votes in the Executive Committee?

 

Unless your bylaws provide for Co-Secretaries, you can't have them. So the election is null and void and you'll need to elect one person as Secretary. That will solve your problem.

 

If your bylaws do provide for Co-Secretaries, then you're on your own figuring out how that works.

[David A Foulkes]

Take a look at pp 458-460 (RONR 11th ed.) where the positions of (recording) Secretary and Corresponding Secretary are discussed.  This may be what your organization needs.  It would still require amending the bylaws to define the two separate positions and their respective duties.

[Gary Novosielski]

We have 4 officers -- Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, & Treasurer.  We just elected 2 people as Co-Secretaries.  Does that mean there are now 5 votes (1 per person, rathr than one per office) when we take an Executive Committee vote?  Or, instead, does each of the 2 Co-Secretaries Have half a vote -- so there are still 4 votes in the Executive Committee?

 

No, it means that you didn't obey your bylaws, and the election of co-secretaries is null and void.  If your bylaws say you have a secretary, you have a secretary.

[g40]

If allowed or permitted in your bylaws, I believe that having a Secretary and an Assistant Secretary can almost always accomplish the same result (and meet the same needs)  as the awkward (and not consistent with RONR) "CO-Secretaries. I am a member of a Board and our Secretary does a fine job, but she would occasionally be unable to attend Board meetings. We could always (reluctantly at times) someone else to take the minutes, but occasionally we needed some document, form, etc. signed by the organization's "Secretary". Her being absent led to some occasional problems getting the required signature in a timely manner. Electing an "Assistant Secretary" (all within the bylaws), who could do everything the Secretary could do, solved that problem.