Reopening a past vote

[Guest refone]

Once a vote is taken, and the motion carries or is defeated, if a member wants to change their vote, what is the process and is it possible?

[Joshua Katz]

If the member voted on the prevailing side, he can move to reconsider (in the same meeting, or on the next day if the session lasts longer than one meeting). If reconsider is adopted, he can then vote as he wants on the reconsidered motion. 

[Guest refone]

Let me give you the exact scenario; the vote was 3-3 (missing 1 member) thus the motion failed. If next week one of the 3 no votes wants to change their vote to yes and make the vote 4-2, what is the process if it's possible?

[Guest Student]

A motion that has failed can be renewed at the next meeting. That is, someone can move the motion again (unless there is some restriction on that in your own rules or the motion requires notice).

[Joshua Katz]

I concur with Guest Student, while noting that the member is not literally "changing" his vote.  Rather, he's voting a different way on a new motion.  He can't just decide to change his vote on the previous motion and hold everything else constant.  In particular, those in attendance at the upcoming meeting are the ones who vote on the new motion, so it may well not come out as predicted.

[Gary Novosielski]

1 hour ago, Guest refone said:

Let me give you the exact scenario; the vote was 3-3 (missing 1 member) thus the motion failed. If next week one of the 3 no votes wants to change their vote to yes and make the vote 4-2, what is the process if it's possible?

No, not next week. 

While you are free to renew the motion next week, everyone else would also have the opportunity to vote a different way, and the motion may end up amended in ways that nobody can predict now.

The only time members have the right to change their single vote would be is before the chair announces the result of the vote, or, with the unanimous consent of the assembly, immediately afterward, but as soon as the chair moves on to the next item of business that particular vote is a done deal. 

The motion itself may possibly be reconsidered, rescinded, amended, or renewed, depending on the original outcome, the timing, and sometimes who voted how originally, but all these things place the whole question back before the assembly and the outcome is again uncertain, as noted above.