Recording of abstentions

[Guest Motown]

I know that abstentions are not votes, but must they be recorded in the minutes, and if so, how?  Our board members are insisting on recording them, but how to record them is the question I have:

 

Tom, Sue, Linda and Bob vote Yes, Jim votes No, Steve abstains

 

or

 

Tom, Sue, Linda and Bob vote Yes, Jim votes No, Steve does not vote

 

Advice please? 

 

 

 

 

[Edgar Guest]

Unless it's a roll-call vote (which should be a rare occurrence)  you don't record how each member voted, only whether the motion was adopted or lost. Or, if a counted vote was called for, the number of "yes" and "no" votes.

 

If it is a roll-call vote and the number responding doesn't constitute a quorum, the minutes should record enough names of those not voting to indicate that a quorum was, in fact, present. But that should be an even rarer occurrence. See p.422.

[Richard Brown]

I know that abstentions are not votes, but must they be recorded in the minutes, and if so, how?  Our board members are insisting on recording them, but how to record them is the question I have:

 

Unless it's a roll-call vote (which should be a rare occurrence)  you don't record how each member voted, only whether the motion was adopted or lost. Or, if a counted vote was called for, the number of "yes" and "no" votes.

I would think, though, that if the Board wants abstentions recorded and adopts a motion to do so, abstentions should be recorded.  But, I agree that absent such a special rule, RONR says they should be noted only when necessary to show that a quorum is present.

[Dan Honemann]

 But, I agree that absent such a special rule, RONR says they should be noted only when necessary to show that a quorum is present.

 

When a vote is taken by roll call, members may respond by saying "present" or "abstain" when their names are called, in which event they are recorded as abstaining even although it is not necessary to do so in order to show that a quorum is present. This is actually the reason why the names of members not responding during a roll-call vote sometimes need to be recorded in order to show that a quorum is present.