Calling for a vote - who calls and by what methods

[Guest J Keys]

Can an officer other than the President call for a vote if the President is present?  Another officer of a small community organization sometimes takes it upon himself to to jump in and call for a vote on a motion at a board meeting while the President is there - I guess to look like he is in charge.  The others just end of voting but it seems disrespectful.  The President did not say anything so as not to embarrass the person.  The officer has also e-mailed board members and asked for a vote to approve a contract by e-mail, again without going through the President or waiting until the next scheduled meeting.    

[Hieu H. Huynh]

It is a duty of the presiding officer

 

"To state and to put to vote all questions that legitimately come before the assembly as motions or that otherwise arise in the course of proceedings (except questions that relate to the presiding officer himself in the manner noted below), and to announce the result of each vote ([section] 4); or, if a motion that is not in order is made, to rule it out of order. (For a discussion of the circumstances under which the chair votes, see pp. 405-6. See also the discussion of unanimous consent, pp. 54-56)" (RONR 11th ed., p. 449, l. 33 to p. 450, l. 6)

[Hieu H. Huynh]

Also see pp. 644-649 on "Dealing with Offense in a Meeting".

[Josh Martin]

Can an officer other than the President call for a vote if the President is present? Another officer of a small community organization sometimes takes it upon himself to to jump in and call for a vote on a motion at a board meeting while the President is there - I guess to look like he is in charge. The others just end of voting but it seems disrespectful. The President did not say anything so as not to embarrass the person. The officer has also e-mailed board members and asked for a vote to approve a contract by e-mail, again without going through the President or waiting until the next scheduled meeting.

There are some instances in which it would be appropriate for a member other than the President to call for a vote despite the fact the President is present. For instance, the President might relinquish the chair to another member in order to participate in discussion, in which case that member would temporarily perform the duties of the presiding officer.

There are also procedures for a member other than the chair to state the question on the motion and call for the vote when the chairman refuses to do so. In the situation you describe, however, it would seem that none of these circumstances apply, and therefore the President is the one who should call for the vote.

As for e-mail voting, this is not permitted at all unless authorized by your bylaws, in which event you should refer to your organization's rules for the details.