President-Elect to call Special Meeting

[Guest Mary Sue]

Hi,

 

The president-elect of our association will officially be installed at the end of this month, along with all other board members that were elected at our annual meeting.  One of the directors that was elected by the membership has already resigned for the new fiscal year, so the president-elect will need to appoint a new director.  My question is:  Can the president-elect call a special meeting of the board before she is installed as president?  Our bylaws do not clarify if the president or president-elect can call a special meeting of the board.  Thanks in advance.

 

Mary Sue 

[Edgar Guest]

My question is:  Can the president-elect call a special meeting of the board before she is installed as president?  Our bylaws do not clarify if the president or president-elect can call a special meeting of the board.

If your bylaws don't say that your president can call a special meeting of the board, it's likely that your president-elect can't call a special meeting of the board.

 

If your bylaws say that the president can call a special meeting of the board, you'll have to figure out who is your president, the current president or the president-elect. My money's on the former.

 

Maybe the best thing is to wait until the end of the month.

[Richard Brown]

The president-elect of our association will officially be installed at the end of this month, along with all other board members that were elected at our annual meeting. 

What do your bylaws say about when the terms of the new officers begin?   Usually, they begin at the conclusion of the annual meeting.  If they are silent, then, per RONR, elections become final and take effect immediately.  Also, the new officers assume office immediately unless the bylaws provide a later time for taking office.  Unless your bylaws say that the officers take office at the installation  ceremony, the ceremony has no effect on when their terms begin.  It is a ceremonial event only and can take place before or after their terms begin.

 

Here is what RONR says about it on page 444:

 

"TIME AT WHICH AN ELECTION TAKES EFFECT. An election to an office becomes final immediately if the candidate is present and does not decline, or if he is absent but has consented to his candidacy. If he is absent and has not consented to his candidacy, the election becomes final when he is notified of his election, provided that he does not immediately decline. If he does decline, the election is incomplete, and another vote can be taken immediately or at the next meeting without further notice. After an election has become final as stated in this paragraph, it is too late to reconsider (37) the vote on the election.

 

An officer-elect takes possession of his office immediately upon his election's becoming final, unless the bylaws or other rules specify a later time. If a formal installation ceremony is prescribed, failure to hold it does not affect the time at which the new officers assume office."