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Counting Absentee Ballots Before Open session


Guest Suzanne1999

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We have a yearly annual members meeting. This is when the members vote and elect new board members (bylaws state ROR is parlimentary authority).

 

Our teller/election committee counts the absentee ballots and the ballots from members who are present at the annual meeting.

 

The committee starts counting the absentee ballots BEFORE the annual members meeting is called into session. Aprox 1/2 hour to 1 hour before the meeting starts, the absentee ballots are opened and counting is started (at the place of the meeting).

 

The counting of the absentee ballots continues on after the meeeting has started, and is done right around the same time that the members who are present start to cast their votes. Then those votes are counted and totalled.

 

Question is: According to ROR, is opening of the absentee ballots (envelopes that are mailed in from members who are not present) allowed BEFORE the meeting is called into session?

 

This has been common practice in the past  (opening before meeting in session), and recently a candidate has mentioned that this is a violation of ROR. Our bylaws DO NOT address this.

 

Thank you all for your time and this website/forum!

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According to RONR, a procedure that counts absentee votes along with live votes is unworkable and should not be used; so if your bylaws have some strange rules on absentee voting you will have to follow your bylaws.

 

If your bylaws don't mention absentee voting, then it is strictly prohibited by RONR>

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 . . . a candidate has mentioned that this is a violation of ROR.

 

Ask the candidate to show your where.

 

Mr. Novosielski's comments being duly noted, I see no problem with the tellers counting the absentee ballots before the in-person voting takes place.

 

Edited to add: If, for example, the elections were held using absentee ballots exclusively, I think there'd be no problem with the tellers committee meeting prior to the general meeting, counting the votes, and then making its report at the subsequent general meeting.

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Well by default I would argue that RONR only allows the counting of votes at a meeting.

 

Well, they are being counted at a meeting. At a meeting of the tellers committee. 

 

No votes can take place outside a meeting.

 

Except we're specifically talking about absentee voting here (which, presumably, is permitted in this organization).

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Well, they are being counted at a meeting. At a meeting of the tellers committee. 

 

I had just finished typing that same sentence when the 1 more reply box showed up.

 

I therefore concur.

 

It is permissible for the tellers to count outside of a meeting of the assembly, and is fairly common in the case of absentee ballots.

 

I don't think it's been established that absentee ballots are authorized, but the group has apparently been operating under the assumption that they are for some time, so let's hope they are.

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Yes, per our bylaws, absentee ballats are allowed...they are kept in sealed envelopes until opened by the teller/election committee shortly before the members meeting is called into session.

 

Again, a candidate is questioning the opening of the ballots prior to meeting in session. I suppose the candidate has read ROR, or is familiar with the particular passage that prevents ballots from being counted before meeting in session?

 

The absentee ballots are a different color from the "at the meeting-in person ballots" so we are able to tell them apart, and they are counted and tallied separately.

 

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Again, a candidate is questioning the opening of the ballots prior to meeting in session. I suppose the candidate has read ROR, or is familiar with the particular passage that prevents ballots from being counted before meeting in session?

 

Well, he hasn't been reading "our" RONR, if he claims there is some such prohibition in the book.   Indeed, the counting of mail (absentee) ballots clearly does not take place in the general meeting, p. 425, line 10.

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So, it sounds like all that needs to be done is make sure the Tellers/Election committee declares an official meeting to open and count the absentee ballots.

 

So far, the member who has stated "violation opening absentee ballots before members meeting has started" has not been able to provide us with a direct RONR reference...

 

Thank you all for the information. It's a big help.

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