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mishandled motion to vote by secret ballot


Guest tom r

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I am a new Parliamentarian.

My organization just had a general meeting to amend bylaws.

During the meeting a member moved to vote on the amendments by secret ballot.

Our bylaws do not stipulate how the votes will be taken.

the chair tabled the motion.

the vote was taken by rising.

 

A couple of questions.

1. is the vote valid?

2. when should a point of order have been raised.

3. When the member made the motion to vote by secret ballot they interjected personal opinions and history with the board. does this render their motion invalid?

 

thanks for the response.

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I am a new Parliamentarian.

My organization just had a general meeting to amend bylaws.

During the meeting a member moved to vote on the amendments by secret ballot.

Our bylaws do not stipulate how the votes will be taken.

the chair tabled the motion.

the vote was taken by rising.

 

A couple of questions.

1. is the vote valid?

2. when should a point of order have been raised.

3. When the member made the motion to vote by secret ballot they interjected personal opinions and history with the board. does this render their motion invalid?

 

thanks for the response.

 

1) Yes.

2) Immediately when the chair improperly "tabled" it.

3) No, but the chair should not have let him speak.  The motion to vote by ballot when the amendment(s) were pending is not debatable.

 

The chair has to rid himself of this notion of tabling things (and so does the assembly)  See http://www.robertsrules.com/faq.html#13   Lastly, when a rising vote on a bylaw amendment is taken, it should be counted, unless it's nearly unanimous.

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George,

Thank you for the quick response. I understand what you said (which is what I was thinking) and how it was laid out.

Could you direct me to the sections in RRO which support this.

I intend on educating the chair on the proper method of handling motions prior to our next board meeting.

thanks again

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George,

Thank you for the quick response. I understand what you said (which is what I was thinking) and how it was laid out.

Could you direct me to the sections in RRO which support this.

I intend on educating the chair on the proper method of handling motions prior to our next board meeting.

thanks again

 

See RONR (11th ed.), p. 230ff -  §30. MOTIONS RELATING TO METHODS OF VOTING AND THE POLLS

 

and p. 594 "The final vote on a bylaw amendment should be counted and recorded in the minutes unless it is nearly unanimous."

 

It should be somewhat self-evident that the insured presiding officer cannot table matters or just dismiss proper motions, but just in case  "In principle, the chair must state the question on a motion immediately after it has been made and seconded, unless he is obliged to rule that the motion is out of order or unless, in his opinion, the wording is not clear. "  RONR (11th ed.), p. 39

 

Better yet, why not pick up a couple copies of RONR In Brief http://www.robertsrules.com/inbrief.html  At $7 or so it's amazing how much better things will be for you and the chair with a better understanding of the basics. 

 

[edited, because I'm dumb]

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I have a follow up question. Is it "legal" for the President to deny a request for a ballot vote? Please reference the section of RONR that addresses this issue. Thanks in advance.

 

It's not up to the President to grant or deny the request. The assembly votes on the motion for a ballot vote, by majority vote. See RONR, 11th ed., pg. 412.

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