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Is debate always in order after nominations are closed?


Guest Posingaquestion

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Guest Posingaquestion

Is there ordinarily debate after nominations are closed?  Or does an election immediately follow the closing of nominations without debate?

Our bylaws provide that we follow Robert's Rules when not inconsistent with the bylaws.  For a particular election, the bylaws provide that candidates must submit their names in advance of the meeting (no nominations are allowed from the floor), and that each candidate is entitled to address the assembly for a specified period of time.  The bylaws provide that the election is conducted by written ballot.  However, the bylaws do not specify whether debate is allowed after the candidates have spoken.   I have read Roberts Rules and I'm still in doubt about whether debate is allowed or expected after nominations are closed. Here are my questions, which are obviously related:

1. After the last candidate has spoken, do we proceed immediately to written balloting, without checking to see if debate is sought? 

2. After the last candidate has spoken, if someone seeks to be recognized for purposes of debate, is it in order for the chair to do so?

3. After the last candidate has spoken, if the body wishes to proceed to balloting but some people wish to be recognized for debate, must the chair seek and process a motion to end debate?

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7 minutes ago, Guest Posingaquestion said:

Is there ordinarily debate after nominations are closed?  Or does an election immediately follow the closing of nominations without debate?

The election immediately follows the close of nominations. Debate regarding nominations is in order, but it is to occur during nominations. In this case, the nominations are already closed prior to the meeting, so there will be no debate (other than the statements by the candidates, which is specified in the bylaws).

Depending on how the bylaws are worded, it may or may not be possible to suspend the rules to permit nominations from the floor, which would also have the effect of opening the floor to debate. Failing that, the assembly could suspend the rules to permit debate notwithstanding that the nominations are closed.

7 minutes ago, Guest Posingaquestion said:

1. After the last candidate has spoken, do we proceed immediately to written balloting, without checking to see if debate is sought? 

2. After the last candidate has spoken, if someone seeks to be recognized for purposes of debate, is it in order for the chair to do so?

3. After the last candidate has spoken, if the body wishes to proceed to balloting but some people wish to be recognized for debate, must the chair seek and process a motion to end debate?

Based on the facts provided, it seems to me that the chair should immediately proceed to voting, whether or not anyone wishes to speak in debate, unless a member makes a motion to Suspend the Rules.

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Nominations are debatable (RONR tinted pages 18-19 #49).  However RONR doesn't go into detail as to when that debate should take place.  I suspect the intent for that lack of detail is so the individual organizations can create their own rules governing nominations in a manner that best suits them.

However Mr. Martin argues otherwise so stay tuned.  ;)

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13 minutes ago, Chris Harrison said:

Nominations are debatable (RONR tinted pages 18-19 #49).  However RONR doesn't go into detail as to when that debate should take place.  I suspect the intent for that lack of detail is so the individual organizations can create their own rules governing nominations in a manner that best suits them.

However Mr. Martin argues otherwise so stay tuned.  ;)

Oh, I think we can both be right. I think the society is certainly free to adopt its own rules on this subject, and if the society expects debate to be a regular feature of its elections, I believe it would be advisable for the society to do so.

In the event that the society does not adopt any rules on this subject, however, my understanding from previous discussions on this topic is that, so far as the rules of RONR are concerned, debate regarding nominations is only in order when nominations are in order.

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41 minutes ago, Josh Martin said:

In the event that the society does not adopt any rules on this subject, however, my understanding from previous discussions on this topic is that, so far as the rules of RONR are concerned, debate regarding nominations is only in order when nominations are in order.

I suspect you may have this thread in mind.

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1 hour ago, Guest Posingaquestion said:

Is there ordinarily debate after nominations are closed?  

Or does an election immediately follow the closing of nominations without debate?

TIP:

   • Don't try to treat "candidates forum" debate as if it were an ordinary main motion debate.

***

The formats do not mesh together well.

You would be much, much better off to design a "candidates forum" format, customized for your needs.

***

In practice, most organization hold their candidates forum either (a.) on the night of nominations, or (b.) on a fixed day so-many days after nominations are completed.

Your choice.

Instead of the chair calling for pros and cons, the custom rules would provide fixed minutes for kinds of remarks.

(e.g., introductory remarks; rebuttals; closing remarks; Q-and-A, etc.).

***

RONR contains no "candidate forum" set of rules.

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