Unopposed Nominations

[Brett]

Our social club has nominations for officers at our November general meeting.  Is it permissible under RROO to move at the nomination general meeting, that a single vote be cast by the secretary for all unopposed candidates to be elected?  This would then only require opposed positions on the ballet in December when the elections occur?

[Josh Martin]

15 hours ago, Brett said:

 Is it permissible under RROO to move at the nomination general meeting, that a single vote be cast by the secretary for all unopposed candidates to be elected? This would then only require opposed positions on the ballet in December when the elections occur?

Do your bylaws require a ballot vote? If so, then no, a motion like this is not in order. If the bylaws require a ballot vote, a real ballot vote must be taken even if candidates are unopposed. Write-in votes are in order.

If your bylaws do not require a ballot vote, then the assembly could use the procedure you describe, but it is an archaic, unnecessary, and pointless procedure. Instead, the proper procedure is for the chair to simply declare the unopposed candidates elected by acclamation and then have the vote for the remaining positions.

Additionally, if the elections do not occur until December, then this could not be done until December. Regardless of the method by which the elections occur, if the bylaws say the elections happen in December, you can't elect the unopposed candidates a month early. So I suppose in any event the answer is that no, the motion in question is not in order at the November meeting.

"If the bylaws require the election of officers to be by ballot and there is only one nominee for an office, the ballot must nevertheless be taken for that office unless the bylaws provide for an exception in such a case. In the absence of the latter provision, members still have the right, on the ballot, to cast “write-in votes” for other eligible persons." RONR (12th ed.) 46:35

"If only one person is nominated and the bylaws do not require that a ballot vote be taken, the chair, after ensuring that, in fact, no members present wish to make further nominations, simply declares that the nominee is elected, thus effecting the election by unanimous consent or “acclamation.”" RONR (12th ed.) 46:40

Edited October 7, 2020 at 01:54 PM by Josh Martin

[Brett]

Thank you very much.