Electronic Meetings with Officer Deadline in Bylaws

[Guest J_Church]

Hello,

Our organization always has our annual convention in April.  According to our bylaws, the date of the convention is not specified, but the convention is specified to meet once a year.  So far, no problem (we could postpone the meeting).

Here is the issue-- we elect officers at our convention and we have some terms up this year. According to our bylaws: "The officers shall be elected... for a term of three years. The terms of the executive officers shall begin on June 15 the year of their election."

So it seems that we have a hard deadline of June 15.  Our bylaws are silent on electronic meetings.  They do say "A majority of the delegates seated shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of the business" of the convention.  From reading here, my understanding of RONR is that unless electronic meetings are mentioned in your organization's bylaws, you CANNOT have a meeting electronically.

Our bylaws also note this: "The authority on procedure for all meetings shall be the constitution and bylaws so far as they direct or suggest it; otherwise, Robert's Rules of Order, newly revised, shall be the guide."

Any insight on what we should do?

[Richard Brown]

4 minutes ago, Guest J_Church said:

Here is the issue-- we elect officers at our convention and we have some terms up this year. According to our bylaws: "The officers shall be elected... for a term of three years. The terms of the executive officers shall begin on June 15 the year of their election."

Do your bylaws say anything at all about officers serving until their successors are elected?  If so, please quote that provision verbatim.

5 minutes ago, Guest J_Church said:

Our bylaws are silent on electronic meetings.  They do say "A majority of the delegates seated shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of the business" of the convention.  From reading here, my understanding of RONR is that unless electronic meetings are mentioned in your organization's bylaws, you CANNOT have a meeting electronically.

Your understanding of RONR is correct.

[Guest J_Church]

15 minutes ago, Richard Brown said:

Do your bylaws say anything at all about officers serving until their successors are elected?  If so, please quote that provision verbatim.

Here it is:

"The president and Vice President shall be elected by the Delegate Assembly [our convention] for a term of three years. The treasurer shall be elected for a term of three years. The terms of the executive officers shall begin on June 15 of the year of their election."

Also

"The Vice President assumes the presidency if that position becomes vacant."  and "Vacancies for the positions of Vice President, treasurer or members of the executive committee at large shall be filled by a majority vote of the remaining members of the executive committee within 45 calendar days, to serve until the next Delegate Assembly at which time the delegates shall elect a member to fill the unexpired term."

There is nothing I see about officers serving until successors are elected- just that it's a term of three years.

[Dan Honemann]

30 minutes ago, Guest J_Church said:

Here it is:

"The president and Vice President shall be elected by the Delegate Assembly [our convention] for a term of three years. The treasurer shall be elected for a term of three years. The terms of the executive officers shall begin on June 15 of the year of their election."

Also

"The Vice President assumes the presidency if that position becomes vacant."  and "Vacancies for the positions of Vice President, treasurer or members of the executive committee at large shall be filled by a majority vote of the remaining members of the executive committee within 45 calendar days, to serve until the next Delegate Assembly at which time the delegates shall elect a member to fill the unexpired term."

There is nothing I see about officers serving until successors are elected- just that it's a term of three years.

It looks as if the members of your executive committee have staggered terms in office and your executive committee has the power to fill vacancies. If so, you may be in good shape.

[Josh Martin]

41 minutes ago, Guest J_Church said:

Here it is:

"The president and Vice President shall be elected by the Delegate Assembly [our convention] for a term of three years. The treasurer shall be elected for a term of three years. The terms of the executive officers shall begin on June 15 of the year of their election."

Also

"The Vice President assumes the presidency if that position becomes vacant."  and "Vacancies for the positions of Vice President, treasurer or members of the executive committee at large shall be filled by a majority vote of the remaining members of the executive committee within 45 calendar days, to serve until the next Delegate Assembly at which time the delegates shall elect a member to fill the unexpired term."

There is nothing I see about officers serving until successors are elected- just that it's a term of three years.

Based on the facts presented, it appears to me that the terms of any officers whose terms are ending this year will end on June 15. If their successors are not elected by that time, those positions will become vacant. The remaining members of the executive committee will have to keep things going for now. When they are capable of meeting again, they can fill the vacancies, and those persons shall serve until the next Delegate Assembly, at which time the delegates shall elect a member to fill the unexpired term.

[Guest J_Church]

I appreciate your responses.  Thank you!