Voting- age limit

[Guest Guest Pres]

Is there a rule on the age ie if someone is under 18 to vote for elections of officers? This is a fire company and would be a Jr firefighter. There is nothing in our bylaws about it.

[Guest Who's Coming to Dinner]

There are no age limits under Robert's Rules.

[Joshua Katz]

The question to ask is whether your Junior are members. The answer should be in your bylaws (hopefully).

[Richard Brown]

Agreeing with my colleagues, the question is whether these "junior firefighters" are actually members.  If they are members, and there is no restriction in the bylaws on their right to vote, then per RONR they are members and have the right to vote as the right to vote is a fundamental right of membership.  Any restriction on that right would have to be in your bylaws.   Just calling them "Junior Members (or Junior Firefghters)" does not, in and of itself... at least in my opinion... restrict any of their rights.   A member is a member is a member, just as a rose is a rose is a rose, regardless of what color it might be called.  I'm not a botanist, but I think a yellow rose is just as much a rose as a pink rose.  And so it is with regular members (or whatever they are called) and Junior Members.  Junior Members are still members with the right to vote unless the bylaws prohibit voting for Junior Members/Junior Firefighters.

Ultimately this is probably a matter of bylaws interpretation.  Interpreting your bylaws is something only your organization can do.  We cannot do that for you.  We can only tell you that per RONR a member is a member is a member... and they all have the same rights unless the bylaws restrict the rights for some of them.