Nominations & Elections

[Guest Chuck]

1. Does RROO allow for the removal of a nominated candidate for an office ?

 

2. Can an unopposed candidate for office still lose and election ?

 

Thank You

[Richard Brown]

What do you mean by "removal of a nominated candidate for an office"?

 

Was he nominated but not yet elected?

Was he elected?

 

If he does not meet the qualifications in the bylaws, he can be declared ineligible and can be removed from office if elected.

 

In ballot elections, write in candidates should be allowed unless prohibited by the bylaws, so it is quite possible that someone not nominated will win.

 

If there were irregularities in the election that can affect the outcome, a new election can be ordered.

 

Without knowing more, it's hard to give you a good answer.

[Rev Ed]

1. Does RROO allow for the removal of a nominated candidate for an office ?

 

Richard has asked some questions that will allow for a correct response.  So I am not going to provide a response until we have received a response as to exactly what you mean by 'removal of a nominated candidate for an office'.  I think I may know what you mean, but I don't want others criticizing me for a response with more information.

 

2. Can an unopposed candidate for office still lose and election ?

 

Yes.  In one of two ways for certain, both of which are based on the By-laws requiring a ballot vote:

 

1)  Enough members write-in the name of another person.  Unless the By-laws specifically disallow it, the members are allowed to write-in a name of a person they would like elected.  Therefore, when filling out their ballots, the members are free to vote for someone who was not already nominated, unless the By-laws specifically state otherwise.

 

2)  Even without any other name written in, if enough blank ballots are placed into the ballot box, the nominated candidate would fail to receive a majority vote of votes cast.

 

If the By-laws do not require a ballot vote, then the Chairman would simply announce that the one nominated candidate is elected.

[Josh Martin]

2)  Even without any other name written in, if enough blank ballots are placed into the ballot box, the nominated candidate would fail to receive a majority vote of votes cast.

 

This is not correct. Blank ballots are treated as abstentions, so the number of blank ballots which are cast will have no effect on whether the candidate receives a majority.

 

"In recording the votes cast, the principle followed is that a choice has no mandate from the voting body unless approval is expressed by more than half of those entitled to vote and registering any evidence of having some preference. Accordingly, the tellers ignore blank ballots and other ballots that indicate no preference, treating them as abstentions. (Blank ballots are sometimes cast by members to conceal the fact that they do not wish to vote.)" (RONR, 11th ed., pg. 415)