Guest Election Confused Posted June 27, 2014 at 05:07 PM Report Share Posted June 27, 2014 at 05:07 PM Is it ever in order to stop an election once some of the ballots have been cast? Can you point me to the relevant RROO section? Details: Group bylaws allow balloting to take place by mail and in person. The membership approved an election, an election committee was appointed, ballots were sent and some have been voted and received by the election committee. The Chair is now claiming they can stop the election. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jstackpo Posted June 27, 2014 at 05:44 PM Report Share Posted June 27, 2014 at 05:44 PM If this election was taking place entirely IN a meeting, then the chair would be dead wrong - p. 408. However, elections with absentee (mail) voting require extra rules in your bylaws to be proper. Perhaps there is a "Stopper" rule in there. Insist that the chair back up his claim with the evidence of explicit rules. Mixing absentee and in-meeting voting is a very bad idea - p. 423. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Election Confused Posted June 27, 2014 at 06:59 PM Report Share Posted June 27, 2014 at 06:59 PM There are no rules for stopping the election or any mention of the ability to stop an election mentioned in the Bylaws. There are clear rules for the Election Committee to be appointed and to provide the election (e.g., secret ballots, etc). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jstackpo Posted June 27, 2014 at 08:22 PM Report Share Posted June 27, 2014 at 08:22 PM In that case your Chairman is clearly exceeding his/her authority. Do your bylaws authorize the absentee balloting? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Election Confused Posted June 27, 2014 at 08:35 PM Report Share Posted June 27, 2014 at 08:35 PM Absentee balloting is explicitly allowed and rules for it are provided in the bylaws as to how the election committee must handle the ballots, minimum length of ballot period, etc. The Chair has fired the existing parliamentarian, appointed a new one, and said that person says the election committee isn't running the election correctly so has commanded it stopped in midpoint. Can you provide the RROO reference to why it is prohibited to stop an election in motion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jstackpo Posted June 27, 2014 at 08:53 PM Report Share Posted June 27, 2014 at 08:53 PM Yeah, page 408. (It doesn't say "why" but gives the "No interruption" rule.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edgar Guest Posted June 27, 2014 at 09:25 PM Report Share Posted June 27, 2014 at 09:25 PM Can you provide the RROO reference to why it is prohibited to stop an election in motion? Better yet, ask your chair to show you the rule that says he can stop an election in motion. It's a concept known as "the burden of proof" and, in this instance, the burden of proof is on the chair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Election Confused Posted June 30, 2014 at 05:31 PM Report Share Posted June 30, 2014 at 05:31 PM Thanks folks. Our election is now moving forward again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Novosielski Posted June 30, 2014 at 10:19 PM Report Share Posted June 30, 2014 at 10:19 PM Generally speaking, nothing is permitted to stop a vote-in-progress of any sort, elections included. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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