Nominating Committee

[Guest Hunter]

Our bylaws stipulate that the Nominating Committee is made up of the Asst. Pres., who will chair the committee, the Pres. and a member-at-large. The Asst. Pres. never did this before she asked for nominations. Before any nominations were submitted, the Asst. Pres. resigned and the Pres. took over as chair. Will this year's slate of officers be valid?

[Rob Elsman]

RONR makes no mention of a "slate of officers", valid or otherwise.

[Richard Brown]

I’m not sure I understand the facts, but if the nominating committee did in fact come up with nominees,   It seems to me the nominations are valid despite the change in the membership of the committee. 
 

Edited to add: following up on Mr. Elfman‘s comment about Your use of the term “slate of officers”, I am assuming that when you refer to the slate of officers you are referring to the committee’s list of nominees. Unless your own rules provide to the contrary, additional nominations must also be permitted from the floor prior to the Elections,

Edited September 7, 2020 at 02:37 PM by Richard Brown
Edit last paragraph

[Atul Kapur]

It sounds like you have a vacancy in the position of assistant president and, therefore, one of the three positions on your nominating committee is vacant. There are still two people on your nominating committee and they should do their job. From your use of the word "slate," it would appear that the nominating committee is directed to nominate one candidate for each position.

As Mr. Brown has stated above, RONR requires that, after the nominating committee has made its report, that there be an opportunity for members to make other nominations from the floor. That is, the membership does not just vote yes or no on the nominating committee's list of nominees.

The fact that the assistant president and your organization have not been following the rules in your bylaws (or those in RONR, either, it sounds like) means that this year's procedures may seem unfamiliar, but you should follow your bylaws.

 

[Guest Hunter]

'Slate of Officers' is a term we have always used for the list of nominations presented for voting. Perhaps I should have simply said "list of nominations"...sorry for the confusion.
To clarify, the Asst. Pres., or nominating committee chair, never appointed a member-at-large for the committee so when this person resigned it left only the Pres. on the committee. The Pres. has found nominations to present for voting...in short, the Pres. is acting alone and I have read in RONR that the Pres. should not chair the Nominating Committee. Nominations will also be taken from the floor however I'm wondering if the Pres. can act alone on the Nominating Committee under the circumstances.

[Atul Kapur]

You are correct, RONR advises that the president should not appoint or be a member of the nominating committee (that is, RONR goes even further than "should not chair"). However, your bylaws say differently, and they override RONR.

As no member-at-large was appointed to the committee, you have two vacancies and a membership of one. That one-person committee is doing its job so its report (the list of nominations) will be valid.

Just to avoid questions: a report from a one-person committee usually requires someone to second any recommendations. However, nominations do not require a second, so that doesn't apply here.

Edited September 7, 2020 at 04:22 PM by Atul Kapur

[Guest Hunter]

Thank you...makes sense! So do recommendations of the Nominating Committee need to be approved through a motion by the Board of Directors? 

[Atul Kapur]

Only if your bylaws require that. Otherwise, the nominating committee reports to the membership meeting. See RONR (12th ed.) 46:14  (Sections 46:9-18 describe the nominating committee in detail and are all worthwhile reading while you have the book open to that chapter).

[Guest Hunter]

Wonderful advise! I can't thank you enough!