Does a Pro Tem Secretary have to be voted for by other members?

[Guest Senga]

We are a Board going into closed session and our Board Secretary is going to be absent for that closed session. How do we go about electing a Secretary Pro Tem? Can the Chairman just elect someone or does it have to be voted on? and what verbiage/rule should be referenced?

[Atul Kapur]

It is an election  according to 47: 34.

 The chair could say something like "The secretary is absent. Is there any objection to Tim Jones serving as secretary pro tem? [Pause] There is no objection and Mr. Jones will serve as secretary pro tem."

 There is almost always no objection, except maybe from Tim, so you should clear it with him beforehand.

Edited September 27, 2022 at 04:39 PM by Atul Kapur
Added last sentence

[Gary Novosielski]

On 9/27/2022 at 11:09 AM, Guest Senga said:

We are a Board going into closed session and our Board Secretary is going to be absent for that closed session. How do we go about electing a Secretary Pro Tem? Can the Chairman just elect someone or does it have to be voted on? and what verbiage/rule should be referenced?

Election applies a vote of some sort, or, as @Atul Kapursuggests, unanimous consent of those assembled. 

If there is, in fact, an objection to "Tom" by any member, then a vote to elect a secretary pro-tem must be held.

[Atul Kapur]

On 9/27/2022 at 12:37 PM, Atul Kapur said:

There is almost always no objection, except maybe from Tim

 

On 9/28/2022 at 1:51 PM, Gary Novosielski said:

If there is, in fact, an objection to "Tom"

While Tim is almost always acceptable to all, It's not unusual for there to be an objection to Tom Jones. 

Edited September 28, 2022 at 05:57 PM by Atul Kapur