RAVENSED Posted October 21, 2015 at 11:06 PM Report Share Posted October 21, 2015 at 11:06 PM At a recent meeting of our club we held elections. Prior to the meeting a candidate for executive board was passing out campaign flyers instructing the members who to vote for. She had six names of the nine nominees listed. Our club has been around for 50 years and this action is frowned upon. It is not in our bylaws, but it is an unwritten rule. A member became upset when he discovered this flyer was being circulated. He approached the chairman and requested that they be removed. The chairman had the flyers removed prior to the start of the meeting. An objection was voiced over this action. A nominee that was listed on the campaign flyer was not elected. He filed an appeal of the vote based on the collection of the flyers prior to the meeting hurt his chances of being elected. Does he have a valid appeal? I have searched through RONR and can not find where this is addressed, if it is addressed at all. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gödel Fan Posted October 21, 2015 at 11:08 PM Report Share Posted October 21, 2015 at 11:08 PM There is nothing in RONR, so far as I can recall, about the distribution or collection of flyers. I also don't see how his claim has any merit, but that's a side point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Novosielski Posted October 21, 2015 at 11:15 PM Report Share Posted October 21, 2015 at 11:15 PM If the membership truly frowns on this behavior, they will tend not to vote the way they believe they are being "coerced" to. If not, they'll say thanks for the flyer, and let it go at that. In other words, this sort of thing usually takes care of itself without drastic actions. If distribution of flyers was done before the meeting and didn't disrupt business, I don't see any grounds for the chair to rule on the issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gödel Fan Posted October 21, 2015 at 11:21 PM Report Share Posted October 21, 2015 at 11:21 PM Gary - I agree, but would you also agree that the fact of the chair saying "get these things out of here" is not grounds for "appealing the vote"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Brown Posted October 22, 2015 at 01:59 AM Report Share Posted October 22, 2015 at 01:59 AM Gary - I agree, but would you also agree that the fact of the chair saying "get these things out of here" is not grounds for "appealing the vote"?I can't speak for Gary, but I agree. A point of order could have been raised when the president ordered the flyers removed that the distribution of flyers violates no rule, but that apparently was not done. This is a classic case of "you snooze, you lose". For the future, the society may want to consider whether to adopt a special rule of order or standing rule prohibiting the distribution of campaign material at meetings. Campaigning for office does seem to be the American Way. . . .going all the way back to student body elections in school. "I'm Jane. I'm running for class president. Here's some candy. Please vote for me. I promise to have candy at every recess." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gödel Fan Posted October 22, 2015 at 03:44 AM Report Share Posted October 22, 2015 at 03:44 AM As long as Jane is not within 50 feet of the voting place... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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