Slate of candidates

[Dutchman]

procedure and conflict question. A non profit board that represents an association of several thousand members hold election for board seats every year. Board puts out a slate of recommended candidates each year yet any association member can request to be a candidate. A committee puts slate together, presents to fullboard for vote. Question: should board members be allowed to vote for the slate if their names are included on it? Not in general election of course just for approval of the slate. I thought those should recuse themselves. Thoughts please.

[Transpower]

Nah, board members can vote for themselves.  

[Dutchman]

Thanks. Just for clarification I don't mean in a general election I mean in approval of a slate of candidates that includes themselves as well as others. I would have thought recusal but I am learning. 

[jstackpo]

Are you saying the the Board gets to vote (up or down, I presume) on the list of candidates prepared by the nominating committee before the general membership gets to vote at all?

That sure isn't a Robert-rule; is it in your bylaws?       Strikes me as a pretty foolish rule as it allows the Board to control the election process and perpetuate itself by "vetoing" any candidate(s) they don't like.

[Dutchman]

Yes. That is what happens. A nominating committee recommends a slate to the board. The board debates the candidates on the slate, but ultimately votes on the slate. That slate is made public to the association as a whole and a general election is held. Others may request to be candidates and do but the board, I believe is essentially endorsing their slate. What really strikes me as odd is that 1/3 of the board is up for election each year, if all incumbents seek reelection it is improbable for the slate to be voted down by the board itself. If candidates for the Slate recused themselves or were prohibited from voting on the slate that would seem more appropriate to me. 

[jstackpo]

I wasn't as clear as I hoped:  What happens to the list of candidates if the Board chooses to vote it down?  Do the general members get to vote on it anyway, or is it dead in the water and the nominating committee has to produce a new set of names?

Your ethics question is a reasonable one, but not one covered by RONR.  A way the resolve it is to take the Board out of the nominating process altogether:  Just have the Nominating Committee report their nominations to the general membership on (or before) the election meeting, and allow for floor nomination prior to the actual election getting underway.   This is the "standard" - the Board isn't involved in the nominations at all.

You may have to propose amendments to the bylaws to accomplish this.

[Dutchman]

I agree. I don't like the idea of the board presenting a slate but when I suggested that idea it was roundly rejected as " we have always done it this way" In the general election an association member can vote for 8 individual candidates. The slate is really just an endorsement. To vote for that slate you must check the box for each individual candidate. When the board votes on the slate, yes we must vote up or down on the slate as presented. I believe it always passes. Like I said 1/3 of board members are generally on that Slate so it requires a lot to vote it down.

[Richard Brown]

Dutchman do your bylaws actually require that your elections be done that way with the board "approving" a slate before it goes to the membership, or has that simply become a custom without bylaws authorization?

[Guest Dutchman]

Yes, to paraphrase the committe shall propose a candidate, with the persons consent, for each seat. 

[Richard Brown]

5 hours ago, Richard Brown said:

Dutchman do your bylaws actually require that your elections be done that way with the board "approving" a slate before it goes to the membership, or has that simply become a custom without bylaws authorization?

 

5 hours ago, Guest Dutchman said:

Yes, to paraphrase the committe shall propose a candidate, with the persons consent, for each seat. 

Dutchman, that didn't answer my question.  In fact, based on what you said, it seems the board has no business meddling in the nomination process at all.  Can you provide an EXACT QUOTE of your bylaws provisions regarding the nominating process?  Include any references to the Board's involvement or "approving" the nominating committee nominees.

[Gary Novosielski]

On 1/9/2017 at 8:32 AM, Dutchman said:

Thanks. Just for clarification I don't mean in a general election I mean in approval of a slate of candidates that includes themselves as well as others. I would have thought recusal but I am learning. 

There is no such thiing as voting to elect "a slate" of candidates.  It may be that the nominating committee is only charged with providing one nominee for each office, but if the rules in RONR apply, the chair must call for further nominations from the floor, and if the election must be held by ballot, write-in votes are acceptable.

In any case, any candidates for any election have the right to cast votes for themselves.  I would be hesitant to vote for anyone who would abstain on his own election In the few times I have seen it done, usually on a second ballot, it was taken as a sign equivalent to withdrawing from nomination.

[Gary Novosielski]

On 1/9/2017 at 0:01 PM, Guest Dutchman said:

Yes, to paraphrase the committe shall propose a candidate, with the persons consent, for each seat. 

Bylaws are an area where paraphrases have repeatedly been found to be of little no value.

[Gary Novosielski]

On 1/9/2017 at 9:53 AM, Dutchman said:

I agree. I don't like the idea of the board presenting a slate but when I suggested that idea it was roundly rejected as " we have always done it this way" In the general election an association member can vote for 8 individual candidates. The slate is really just an endorsement. To vote for that slate you must check the box for each individual candidate. When the board votes on the slate, yes we must vote up or down on the slate as presented. I believe it always passes. Like I said 1/3 of board members are generally on that Slate so it requires a lot to vote it down.

I agree with those who find no justification for the Board's involvement in "approving" the slate.  The nomination committee typically reports (or should) to the general membership, not to the Board.  Its report should be read at the AGM, after which the chair should call for nominations from the floor..

[Attajb]

On 1/10/2017 at 3:06 PM, Gary Novosielski said:

I agree with those who find no justification for the Board's involvement in "approving" the slate.  The nomination committee typically reports (or should) to the general membership, not to the Board.  Its report should be read at the AGM, after which the chair should call for nominations from the floor..

The slate of candidates should have just been announced to the Board, but as of past procedures a motion was made to accept and seconded  and approved the slate of candidates. That slate will now be announced to the association in a publication At which time independent nominations will be requested with a due date , so as to put the election ballots out to be voted on and announced by our Annual meeting. All of which follows our Bylaws.