election of directors at annual meeting

[Guest Kipper]

As President of the board of directors, I chair the annual farmers co-op meeting. There are five directors and the term is for three years, so at each annual meeting one or two terms are up and elections are held.  My three year term is up, and I feel uncomfortable chairing my own possible re-election.  So what do I do, relinquish the chair temporarily, and if so, how is this properly done? 

[Richard Brown]

If you are the regular presiding officer, you continue to preside.... even over your own election.

Edited to add:  From pages 451-452:  "The chair, [page 452] however, should not hesitate to put the question on a motion to elect officers or appoint delegates or a committee even if he is included."
 

Edited December 11, 2018 at 04:04 AM by Richard Brown
Added last paragraph

[Gary Novosielski]

23 hours ago, Guest Kipper said:

As President of the board of directors, I chair the annual farmers co-op meeting. There are five directors and the term is for three years, so at each annual meeting one or two terms are up and elections are held.  My three year term is up, and I feel uncomfortable chairing my own possible re-election.  So what do I do, relinquish the chair temporarily, and if so, how is this properly done? 

It is correct procedure for the presiding officer to preside over the election, even if up for reëlection.  There's no reason to be uncomfortable, since by following normal procedure, the presiding officer can't reasonably affect the outcome.  The answer might be different if there is to be discussion of, or speeches by, candidates, but this is not typical.

[Guest Kipper]

Thank you both for the info, so it would be incorrect to temporarily step down or would either way be okay? Could you give me an example how the nomination proceedings would go?

We start with, the floor is now open for nominations........

[Josh Martin]

14 hours ago, Guest Kipper said:

Thank you both for the info, so it would be incorrect to temporarily step down or would either way be okay? Could you give me an example how the nomination proceedings would go?

We start with, the floor is now open for nominations........

Unless you wish to (for instance) speak in debate during the elections, there is absolutely no reason for you to step down during the election and nomination procedures, and it would be incorrect to do so. As for nominations...

”If there is no nominating committee and nominations are to be from the floor, the chair calls for them by saying, for example, "Nominations are now in order for the office of President." If there is a nominating committee, the chair calls for nominations as shown on pages 435–36. When the presiding officer has called for nominations from the floor, a member rises and makes a nomination as follows: 

MEMBER: I nominate Mr. A. [Or, in a large assembly, "Mr. President, I nominate Mr. A."] 

CHAIR: Mr. A is nominated. Are there any further nominations [or "any further nominations for the office of President"]? 

The chair repeats each nomination in this way until all nominations for the office have been made.” (RONR, 11th ed., pg. 432)

[Guest Kipper]

Thanks Josh, for your help,

So the chair just refers to himself in the third person?

Let's pretend that in your example Mr. A is the President and his term is up

MEMBER: I nominate Mr. A. [Or, in a large assembly, "Mr. President, I nominate Mr. A."] 

CHAIR: Mr. A is nominated. (rather than I have been nominated) Are there any further nominations [or "any further nominations for the office of President"]? 

This all seems a bit awkward not only for Mr. A, but for members that might want to nominate someone else but feel uncomfortable with Mr. A presiding.

However, if temporarily stepping down is not the proper way of handling this, that is what I need to know, and this seems to be the case. 

 

[jstackpo]

30 minutes ago, Guest Kipper said:

However, if temporarily stepping down is not the proper way of handling this, that is what I need to know, and this seems to be the case. 

Indeed it is not the "proper way", as R Brown cited, some entries back.

[Josh Martin]

16 hours ago, Guest Kipper said:

Thanks Josh, for your help,

So the chair just refers to himself in the third person?

Let's pretend that in your example Mr. A is the President and his term is up

MEMBER: I nominate Mr. A. [Or, in a large assembly, "Mr. President, I nominate Mr. A."] 

CHAIR: Mr. A is nominated. (rather than I have been nominated) Are there any further nominations [or "any further nominations for the office of President"]? 

This all seems a bit awkward not only for Mr. A, but for members that might want to nominate someone else but feel uncomfortable with Mr. A presiding.

However, if temporarily stepping down is not the proper way of handling this, that is what I need to know, and this seems to be the case. 

Yes, this is exactly right. I have been in this exact situation before. As I recall, I said “Your President has been nominated. Are there any further nominations?”

[Guest Kipper]

Thanks again, Josh, for your help,

Sorry it has taken so long to get back to you.  I sincerely appreciate Richard, Gary, jstackpo and your input on this topic.

 

                                Kipper