Vote by those not present

[Guest Lisa]

At our meeting of the board a motion was presented and votes cast but 5y, 3n & 3a so the motion did not go forward. The next day the Chair obtained further information concerning the matter and presented the motion again. 2 board members were not at the original meeting so my question is, do they get to vote on this motion?

[Bruce Lages]

Well, firstly, unless you have some custom voting rules that conflict with RONR, the motion was adopted by a 5 to 3 majority. Abstentions are not votes and are not counted. But if the chair declared the motion defeated and no point of order was raised at the time, the motion is indeed defeated.

 

The same motion can be made again at the next meeting (known as renewing the motion) and all members in attendance at that meeting are entitiled to vote on it. Presence or absence at any previous meeting is immaterial.

[Guest Guest]

The abstentions were considered that a clear majority was not reached and the motion did not pass. The thought was that since the 2 absent members did not hear the presentation, could not ask questions or vote on the matter that even with reinstatement of the motion it is as if the meeting was still in session. If this is a point of order could the chair say, let them vote?

[Weldon Merritt]

The abstentions were considered that a clear majority was not reached and the motion did not pass. The thought was that since the 2 absent members did not hear the presentation, could not ask questions or vote on the matter that even with reinstatement of the motion it is as if the meeting was still in session. If this is a point of order could the chair say, let them vote?

To the contrary, "a clear majoriity" (5-3) was reached. But (as Mr. Lages said), since the chair declared the motion defeated and no one reaised a point of order at that time, the chair's declaration stands. The only way for th motion to come back now is for someone to make it again, and if they do, the motion is subject to debate, amendment, and the whole works, just as it was the first time. And (agan as Mr. Lages alareadty told you) all members present when the vote is taken may vote. It is not up to the chair to say "let them vote"; it is their right to vote.

[Rev Ed]

Even if only one member votes in support of a motion and 1,000 member abstain, there is a 'clear majority' with a 1-0 vote.  Abstaining is not a vote and has no bearing on the decision of a motion unless the requirement is for a vote of those present.  Even then abstaining is not a vote.

[Edgar Guest]

 . . .  it is as if the meeting was still in session.

 

No, it's not.

[Gary Novosielski]

The abstentions were considered that a clear majority was not reached and the motion did not pass. The thought was that since the 2 absent members did not hear the presentation, could not ask questions or vote on the matter that even with reinstatement of the motion it is as if the meeting was still in session. If this is a point of order could the chair say, let them vote?

That's mostly nonsense.  Umm, wait, let me look more carefully.    No, it's ALL nonsense.

 

A clear majority was reached and the motion should have passed.

 

Absent members are just absent.   Nothing in your scenario appears to have violated any of their rights.  If they wanted to vote they could have showed up.

 

The meeting most certainly is not still in session.  But if the motion was (improperlly) declared defeated, it can simply be moved again at a future meeting.

 

The point of order is meaningless.  They can vote next time if they show up next time.

 

Just make the motion again next time and quit calling for, or counting, abstentions.  Anyone who abstains has essentially said that they don't care how it turns out, so you don't count them on either side.