Balloting

[MadamMember]

Section 7. State Organizing Convention 

E. In the event that three or more candidates are nominated for the same single seat office, the convention may use multiple ballots or preference voting to choose officers.  The State Party Central Committee shall certify the method of election.  at least 6 months prior to the convention.

 

1.  Would this "Method of Election" refer to the type of ballot meaning electronic or paper ballots? 

2.  If the method of election was not presented for a vote prior to the six-month deadline, would it be required to use a method used for a previous convention? 

[jstackpo]

I am afraid (or relieved, actually, 😊) that neither of these questions can be answered in RONR as they deal entirely with special rules adopted by your State Central Committee.

You'll have to get in touch with the State Committee for answers.

[Richard Brown]

8 hours ago, MadamMember said:

Section 7. State Organizing Convention 

E. In the event that three or more candidates are nominated for the same single seat office, the convention may use multiple ballots or preference voting to choose officers.  The State Party Central Committee shall certify the method of election.  at least 6 months prior to the convention.

 

1.  Would this "Method of Election" refer to the type of ballot meaning electronic or paper ballots? 

2.  If the method of election was not presented for a vote prior to the six-month deadline, would it be required to use a method used for a previous convention? 

This sounds to me very much like a "Motion Relating to Methods of Voting and the Polls" as described in RONR in Section 30 at pages 71, 283-286, 409-412, and 438.  It seems the bylaws make plain that the State Central Committee can adopt a motion relating to the method of voting to be used at a convention when there are three or more candidates for a position.  The ultimate determination of just what this means is up to the society itself, but I think the referenced sections of RONR can serve as a pretty good guide.

[Josh Martin]

1 hour ago, Richard Brown said:

This sounds to me very much like a "Motion Relating to Methods of Voting and the Polls" as described in RONR in Section 30 at pages 71, 283-286, 409-412, and 438.  It seems the bylaws make plain that the State Central Committee can adopt a motion relating to the method of voting to be used at a convention when there are three or more candidates for a position.  The ultimate determination of just what this means is up to the society itself, but I think the referenced sections of RONR can serve as a pretty good guide.

I don’t think the bylaws are “plain” about this at all.

9 hours ago, MadamMember said:

Section 7. State Organizing Convention 

E. In the event that three or more candidates are nominated for the same single seat office, the convention may use multiple ballots or preference voting to choose officers.  The State Party Central Committee shall certify the method of election.  at least 6 months prior to the convention.

 

1.  Would this "Method of Election" refer to the type of ballot meaning electronic or paper ballots? 

2.  If the method of election was not presented for a vote prior to the six-month deadline, would it be required to use a method used for a previous convention? 

If I were to hazard a guess about the method of election (and assume there is nothing else in the bylaws on this subject), I think it is referring to how the convention “may use multiple ballots or preference voting.” I have no idea what happens if the method of election is not presented six months in advance as required.

It will ultimately be up to the organization to interpret its own bylaws.

Edited February 15, 2019 at 10:57 PM by Josh Martin

[Byron Baxter]

Section 7. State Organizing Convention 

E. In the event that three or more candidates are nominated for the same single seat office, the convention may use multiple ballots or preference voting to choose officers.  The State Party Central Committee shall certify the method of election.  at least 6 months prior to the convention.

The second sentence seems to be a conforming sentence to the first sentence. Is  the certification of method contingent on three or more candidates having been nominated? The nomination process seems ambiguous.  When does the nomination process begin and end in relation to the 6 months prior requirement for the State Central Committee's certification of the method?

[Guest Zev]

23 hours ago, jstackpo said:

You'll have to get in touch with the State Committee for answers.

 

15 hours ago, Richard Brown said:

The ultimate determination of just what this means is up to the society itself,

 

14 hours ago, Josh Martin said:

It will ultimately be up to the organization to interpret its own bylaws.

All of the experts in this field have given you nearly-identical answers. We are not trying to ignore you or make your life more difficult but please realize that they are experts in Robert's Rules of Order and have little to no knowledge of how this organization interprets its own rules.

[MadamMember]

Thank you.  It seems clear that the organization itself should interpret the meaning.