HELP Voting once there is a motion and a second

[Guest Carrie Speikers]

We are a small non profit and had an open position on our Board of Directors.  We had posted the opening and received one application back.  The application was from a current, paid member of our organization and was reviewed by the Board of Directors and a motion was made to accept the application.  There was a second to the motion and as President I opened it up for discussion.  We are located all over, so this discussion is being done via email and the vote will take place via conference call.  However, after it was moved to discussion, a board member encouraged a friend who was not a member to apply for the same position.  She had this person submit her membership this morning and will be sending in her application this evening.  She is upset because I have said that we have to take action on the current motion and therefore cannot suddenly add in another candidate.  From what I have read I believe that I am right and that I should call for a vote on accepting the first application and if that does not pass then at that time a motion could be made for the second application.  Please advise as there is not A LOT of tension from this one board member for not rescinding the previous motion to review both applications.  HELP

[Joshua Katz]

Unfortunately, your board conducts business in a way which makes it hard for RONR to be on much guidance. You will have to consult your own rules - under the situation RONR envisions, votes and discussion both take place at meetings, so a motion is made, discussed, then voted on. In that circumstance, it is certainly true that two main motions cannot be pending at the same time, but there would be allowable parliamentary steps here to achieve the same end, such as a motion to amend to substitute one name for another. In your case, it appears that the making of a motion does not take place right after debate on the motion, but at a later time. It seems to me that a motion to amend will be in order at the conference call, but I don't know your rules for conference calls, or for making motions for that matter. 

But to start at the beginning, does your board have the authority to fill this vacancy? If so, is a balloted vote required? 

As for the tension, I'd be angry too if I were supporting a candidate, and an effort was made to place a different candidate into the position by a simple motion rather than an election.

[Josh Martin]

12 minutes ago, Guest Carrie Speikers said:

We are a small non profit and had an open position on our Board of Directors.  We had posted the opening and received one application back.  The application was from a current, paid member of our organization and was reviewed by the Board of Directors and a motion was made to accept the application.  There was a second to the motion and as President I opened it up for discussion.  We are located all over, so this discussion is being done via email and the vote will take place via conference call.  However, after it was moved to discussion, a board member encouraged a friend who was not a member to apply for the same position.  She had this person submit her membership this morning and will be sending in her application this evening.  She is upset because I have said that we have to take action on the current motion and therefore cannot suddenly add in another candidate.  From what I have read I believe that I am right and that I should call for a vote on accepting the first application and if that does not pass then at that time a motion could be made for the second application.  Please advise as there is not A LOT of tension from this one board member for not rescinding the previous motion to review both applications.  HELP

In the ordinary case, the board member would be free to move to amend the motion by striking the current name and inserting a new name, or by moving to strike the name and to insert a blank, in which event further suggestions would be in order. Either motion is debatable and requires a majority vote for adoption.

It is unclear, however, how this works in a situation where “this discussion is being done via email and the vote will take place via conference call,” and it should be noted that conducting business in this manner is not permitted unless authorized by your bylaws.