Question: In absentia voting in a virtual meeting.

[Guest Barbara]

In a recent committee meeting held via Zoom we had a committee member who needed drop from the meeting early and he expressed his vote of Yes in the chat to everyone in the meeting.  This was done before the motion was made and seconded and the vote was called.   Should this vote be recorded and if so, how?

Thank yuo,

Barbara

[Joshua Katz]

I have no idea. RONR provides simply that, if an organization chooses to meet by virtual means, it should carefully construct rules. This question will need to be answered, then, by interpreting your rules. 

[Richard Brown]

I would say no, his vote should not be counted UNLESS This organization has an adopted rule which specifically permits such a “vote” to be counted.

I agree with Mr. Katz that it is possible that the organization has such a rule, but I would say that possibility is extremely unlikely.  Announcing to someone, weather in an in person meeting or a virtual meeting, of how you want to vote on a motion that has not even been introduced yet does not constitute an actual vote in any sense of the word and I cannot conceive of how it should be counted as a vote in the absence of a specific rule permitting it.