Nominations from the floor

[DaChief]

Concerning RROR 46:18 (12th edition) can this rule be suspended or waived if your by-laws does not address it?  If yes, what's the proper procedure?

[Weldon Merritt]

No. If your bylaws do not prohibit nominations from the floor, the chair must call for them. 

[Guest DaChief]

Thanks for the speedy response.  That was my assessment, but wanted a second opinion prior to approaching the chair.

[George Mervosh]

2 hours ago, Guest DaChief said:

Thanks for the speedy response.  That was my assessment, but wanted a second opinion prior to approaching the chair.

Is a ballot vote required by the bylaws and is there a nominating committee making a report?

[Guest DaChief]

Th

1 hour ago, George Mervosh said:

Is a ballot vote required by the bylaws and is there a nominating committee making a report?

No ballot vote is required by the bylaws, and yes there is a nominating committee making a report.

[George Mervosh]

14 hours ago, Guest DaChief said:

No ballot vote is required by the bylaws, and yes there is a nominating committee making a report.

Okay, then I agree with Mr. Merritt and see RONR (12th ed.), 31:4.  

[Guest Nik]

On 10/27/2020 at 12:40 PM, Weldon Merritt said:

No. If your bylaws do not prohibit nominations from the floor, the chair must call for them. 

What if a member moves to close all nominations from the floor? Is that motion in order? Debatable? Requires 2/3 vote?

[George Mervosh]

5 minutes ago, Guest Nik said:

What if a member moves to close all nominations from the floor? Is that motion in order? Debatable? Requires 2/3 vote?

The motion to close them is not in order when anyone still wishes to make a nomination, and when it's clear no further nominations are coming the chair should simply declare them closed.  If formally moved and in order, the motion requires a 2/3 vote without debate.

Edited May 25, 2021 at 08:43 PM by George Mervosh

[Gary Novosielski]

4 hours ago, Guest Nik said:

What if a member moves to close all nominations from the floor? Is that motion in order? Debatable? Requires 2/3 vote?

Yes, in order if no one is seeking to make additional nominations, not debatable, and requires a 2/3 vote.

But if closed, reopening nominations requires only a majority vote.

[J. J.]

I think that, technically, the rules could be suspended to prohibit nominations from the floor.  However, the rule protects a minority of one, and 25:2, #7 would apply.  If there were an objection, then the rule could not be suspended. 

I don't see anything in text that says that it is a basic right of an individual member to make a nomination for an office. 

[Richard Brown]

I agree with JJ’s rationale. I see nothing that makes the rule non-suspendable, but it does protect a minority of one. So, in my opinion, it can be technically be suspended but only if there is no objection.

[Gary Novosielski]

2 hours ago, J. J. said:

I think that, technically, the rules could be suspended to prohibit nominations from the floor.  However, the rule protects a minority of one, and 25:2, #7 would apply. 

So it could be prohibited only if nobody wanted to do it anyway? 

Is that appreciably different from not being suspendible at all?

[J. J.]

8 hours ago, Gary Novosielski said:

So it could be prohibited only if nobody wanted to do it anyway? 

Is that appreciably different from not being suspendible at all?

It would make a difference in determining if it was a breach of a continuing nature (23:6 e, 25:11).  If nominations were improperly closed, that, in itself, could not invalidate the election after the fact. 

That is a technical thing, but I have seen attempts to invalidate an election on those, or similar, grounds. 

[Gary Novosielski]

On 5/26/2021 at 9:28 AM, J. J. said:

That is a technical thing, but I have seen attempts to invalidate an election on those, or similar, grounds. 

Yeah, I've seen sixty or more. 🍊