Guest Dan Posted January 25, 2017 at 06:57 PM Report Share Posted January 25, 2017 at 06:57 PM At a meeting last night which consisted of members as well as non-member and non-voting advisors, we elected new officers. Nominations were asked from the group and received. For each nomination, a motion of support was asked followed by asking for a second. The new officers were elected. The next day, the person drafting the minutes realized that an individual who was not a member (instead classified as an advisor) of our group had voiced a motion of support for the lone candidate for Chair. An actual member then voiced as seconding that motion. When we elected Vice Chair, the same non-member voiced a second in support for this lone candidate's nomination after a legitimate member voiced first motion of support. So, an actual member did have say at some point in the nomination proceedings. This was a complete accident on the non-member's behalf, and on our behalf for not recognizing his "illegal" motion at the time. I am very new to Robert's Rules of Order and formal meetings. From what I have gathered, it appears there is not a need for a "second" for nominations for an office position. So perhaps there is no issue with the Vice-Chair position, if I am reading this correctly. However, the non-member was the first to support the nomination for Chair. What must we do to officially address this situation? Should a new election or nomination process be held at our next meeting? Is our process okay since a legitimate member did voice support for each nomination? Appreciate any advice anyone can provide to me on the matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hieu H. Huynh Posted January 25, 2017 at 07:13 PM Report Share Posted January 25, 2017 at 07:13 PM Were the nonmembers excluded from voting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Lages Posted January 25, 2017 at 07:19 PM Report Share Posted January 25, 2017 at 07:19 PM You gather correctly that RONR does not require seconds for nominations. But there is also no mention anywhere in RONR of "a motion for support" for nominations. So I'm afraid you're on your own on this one. Do your rules actually require a motion of support for a nomination, and define what such a motion is? Nothing in RONR would invalidate the election of the chair because of an error in the nomination process. Assuming the person elected is qualified for the position, the election would stand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanCibulka Posted January 26, 2017 at 01:49 PM Report Share Posted January 26, 2017 at 01:49 PM Correct, Hieu, non-members are not eligible for voting and did not vote. I checked and our by-laws do not require a motion of support. They simply state that we will conduct all meetings "...in accordance with applicable Federal Law, State Statutes and Regulations, and Robert's Rules of Order". So it appears that motions of support for nominations were actually not necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. J. Posted January 26, 2017 at 04:55 PM Report Share Posted January 26, 2017 at 04:55 PM I'll attempt to cut to the chase. Even if a nonmember were to make a nomination, or to make some other type of motion, the time to object to it is before it is considered by the assembly (see pp. 250-51). It is a mistake that has to be caught at the time it happened (p. 251 lists exceptions to this). Since you are new RONR, I would suggest looking a pp. 250-51 and pp. 263-65. These usually end up being the answer to a sizable proportion of the questions answered here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanCibulka Posted January 27, 2017 at 02:20 AM Report Share Posted January 27, 2017 at 02:20 AM Thanks for the advice, everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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