Determine the majority in a vote.

[Guest Pam Braaun]

There are ten members present, all able to vote. A motion made, vote is called. Four vote yes, no votes for NO, none Abstained. Six just chose not to vote.

The vote passes?

 

[David A Foulkes]

Abstaining IS choosing not to vote.  Nonetheless, in general they don't count for anything anyway.  So, you had a vote of 4 to 0, adopting the motion. (the vote passes)

[Gary Novosielski]

There are ten members present, all able to vote. A motion made, vote is called. Four vote yes, no votes for NO, none Abstained. Six just chose not to vote.

The vote passes?

 

Yes, the motion passes. 

 

But you said none abstained, when in fact six abstained.   Abstaining means choosing not to vote.

 

What was it that made you believe that none abstained?

[Guest Pam Braun]

We offer an approve, disapprove, abstain option, in voting, so I just was trying to be precise. Pam

[g40]

It seems to me that since your organization "offers" voting options/choices that are not consistent with RONR, then your organization should provide or adopt something that provides the answer to your question. You may be "precise", but you are still not following RONR.

[Dan Honemann]

We offer an approve, disapprove, abstain option, in voting, so I just was trying to be precise. Pam

 

If you are doing this when taking a voice vote, a rising vote, or a vote by show of hands, you are simply wasting time.

 

"The chair should not call for abstentions in taking a vote, since the number of members who respond to such a call is meaningless. To 'abstain' means not to vote at all, and a member who makes no response if 'abstentions' are called for abstains just as much as one who responds to that effect ...."  (RONR, 11th ed., p. 45, ll. 14-18.)

[Guest Pam Braun]

We do electronic voting. Those who are absent or do not participate for a number of polls, could be removed. So we offer the abstain to show they were present, but chose no vote, and not just an absent.

[Josh Martin]

We do electronic voting. Those who are absent or do not participate for a number of polls, could be removed. So we offer the abstain to show they were present, but chose no vote, and not just an absent.

 

Electronic voting is not permitted unless it is authorized in your bylaws. If it is authorized, however, and members are required to be "present" for the electronic voting, then I suppose offering an option for members to abstain does make sense. You should also check to see whether your organization's rules say anything about your original question.

[David A Foulkes]

We do electronic voting. Those who are absent or do not participate for a number of polls, could be removed. So we offer the abstain to show they were present, but chose no vote, and not just an absent.

 

All this is, in the long and short of it, irrelevant.  The vote was 4-0, the motion passed.