Karol Posted January 6, 2023 at 08:45 PM Report Share Posted January 6, 2023 at 08:45 PM A board member pointed out that he believed there was the ability to approve board motions by acclamation. All evidence I find in research shows that voting by acclamation is only permissible when it relates to candidate voting when only one choice is available. Can a ruling by acclamation apply to a motion? How would that procedure specifically take place? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Honemann Posted January 6, 2023 at 08:51 PM Report Share Posted January 6, 2023 at 08:51 PM On 1/6/2023 at 3:45 PM, Karol said: A board member pointed out that he believed there was the ability to approve board motions by acclamation. All evidence I find in research shows that voting by acclamation is only permissible when it relates to candidate voting when only one choice is available. Can a ruling by acclamation apply to a motion? How would that procedure specifically take place? Your member is probably referring to adoption of a motion by unanimous consent. "In cases where there seems to be no opposition in routine business or on questions of little importance, time can often be saved by the procedure of unanimous consent, or as it was formerly also called, general consent. Action in this manner is in accord with the principle that rules are designed for the protection of the minority and generally need not be strictly enforced when there is no minority to protect. Under these conditions, the method of unanimous consent can be used either to adopt a motion without the steps of stating the question and putting the motion to a formal vote, or it can be used to take action without even the formality of a motion. "To obtain unanimous consent in either case, the chair states that “If there is no objection… [or, “Without objection…”],” the action that he mentions will be taken; or he may ask, “Is there any objection to…?” He then pauses, and if no member calls out, “I object,” the chair announces that, “Since there is no objection…,” the action is decided upon. If any member objects, the chair must state the question on the motion, allow any desired debate (unless it is an “undebatable” parliamentary motion—see 6 and pages t46–t47), and put the question in the regular manner. Or—if no motion has been made—the chair must first ask, “Is there a motion to… [stating the proposed action]”; or he must at least put the question, assuming such a motion. If an objection is made with reasonable promptness, even though the chair may have already announced the result as one of “no objection,” he must disregard such an announcement and proceed to state the question in the usual manner." RONR (12th ed.) 4:58-59 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Elsman Posted January 7, 2023 at 03:18 PM Report Share Posted January 7, 2023 at 03:18 PM "Acclamation" comes from the Latin word, "ACCLAMÁRE", which means "to shout at (or toward)", the means by which Roman soldiers proclaimed a victorious general an "IMPERATOR". The term is used only with respect to the election of persons, without opposition, by means of shouting out approval. RONR (12th ed.) does not provide for election by this means. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Novosielski Posted January 7, 2023 at 05:14 PM Report Share Posted January 7, 2023 at 05:14 PM On 1/7/2023 at 10:18 AM, Rob Elsman said: RONR (12th ed.) does not provide for election by this means. Not even when taking 46:40 into account? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Brown Posted January 7, 2023 at 11:05 PM Report Share Posted January 7, 2023 at 11:05 PM On 1/7/2023 at 9:18 AM, Rob Elsman said: RONR (12th ed.) does not provide for election by this means. On 1/7/2023 at 11:14 AM, Gary Novosielski said: Not even when taking 46:40 into account? It seems to me that 46:40 very clearly and specifically refers to election by acclamation. "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, simplly declares that the nominee is elected, thus effecting the election by unanimous consent or "acclamation.". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Elsman Posted January 8, 2023 at 01:00 AM Report Share Posted January 8, 2023 at 01:00 AM No, as I have already explained, acclamation refers to election by a spontaneous shouting out in unison. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Novosielski Posted January 8, 2023 at 01:11 AM Report Share Posted January 8, 2023 at 01:11 AM That may have been the origin of the term, but I think it's fair to say that it now refers to electing an unopposed candidate by declaration of the chair as provided in 46:40. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Elsman Posted January 8, 2023 at 01:27 AM Report Share Posted January 8, 2023 at 01:27 AM (edited) I disagree. For example, one of the methods of electing a pope in conclave is acclamation. Supposedly, this occurs when, moved by the Spirit, the electors break out in spontaneous shouting in favor of one person. A remnant of a more ancient form of papal election survives in the appearance of a newly elected pope on the central logia of St. Peter's to the approving shouts of the people in the square below. In ancient times, Roman christians (including women!) would elect their bishop by shouting out their choice in the Roman Forum. This shouting out in approval is the distinguishing feature of an acclamation. Edited January 8, 2023 at 01:28 AM by Rob Elsman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atul Kapur Posted January 8, 2023 at 01:58 AM Report Share Posted January 8, 2023 at 01:58 AM (edited) On 1/7/2023 at 8:27 PM, Rob Elsman said: For example, one of the methods of electing a pope in conclave is acclamation. This is no longer true as of 1996. In any case, this forum deals with RONR, rather than secular or canon law, so 46:40 of The Other Good Book and p. 651 ("acclamation (election by unanimous consent)") provide the definition of the word for our purposes here. Edited January 8, 2023 at 02:11 AM by Atul Kapur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Elsman Posted January 8, 2023 at 02:40 PM Report Share Posted January 8, 2023 at 02:40 PM As long as we all understand that unanimous consent is given by way of quiescence, not clamor, we're all good. 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Novosielski Posted January 8, 2023 at 08:55 PM Report Share Posted January 8, 2023 at 08:55 PM On 1/8/2023 at 9:40 AM, Rob Elsman said: As long as we all understand that unanimous consent is given by way of quiescence, not clamor, we're all good. 🙂 Apparently that is now the case. 😇 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RW Johnson Posted February 21, 2023 at 05:05 PM Report Share Posted February 21, 2023 at 05:05 PM I am helping to amend the Bylaws and my organization and have a quick question. What is the best phrase for the Chair to state that all unopposed candidates are elected? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shmuel Gerber Posted February 21, 2023 at 06:53 PM Report Share Posted February 21, 2023 at 06:53 PM On 2/21/2023 at 12:05 PM, Guest RW Johnson said: I am helping to amend the Bylaws and my organization and have a quick question. What is the best phrase for the Chair to state that all unopposed candidates are elected? Are you asking about what the bylaws should say, or a general question that has nothing to do with amending the bylaws? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RW Johnson Posted February 21, 2023 at 08:25 PM Report Share Posted February 21, 2023 at 08:25 PM On 2/21/2023 at 10:53 AM, Shmuel Gerber said: Are you asking about what the bylaws should say, or a general question that has nothing to do with amending the bylaws? How should be Bylaws be worded? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshua Katz Posted February 22, 2023 at 12:30 AM Report Share Posted February 22, 2023 at 12:30 AM On 2/21/2023 at 2:25 PM, Guest RW Johnson said: How should be Bylaws be worded? This is the rule already if there is no balloted vote. So I guess something like "in the event a candidate is unopposed, no balloted vote may be ordered." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Honemann Posted February 22, 2023 at 12:36 AM Report Share Posted February 22, 2023 at 12:36 AM On 2/21/2023 at 7:30 PM, Joshua Katz said: This is the rule already if there is no balloted vote. So I guess something like "in the event a candidate is unopposed, no balloted vote may be ordered." This looks like a bad idea to me. There may be a very good reason for the assembly to want to order a ballot vote. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshua Katz Posted February 22, 2023 at 12:42 AM Report Share Posted February 22, 2023 at 12:42 AM On 2/21/2023 at 6:36 PM, Dan Honemann said: This looks like a bad idea to me. There may be a very good reason for the assembly to want to order a ballot vote. I don't think I endorsed it on the merits. I was just thinking of ways to word a bylaw to ensure that unopposed candidates are declared elected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shmuel Gerber Posted February 22, 2023 at 01:12 AM Report Share Posted February 22, 2023 at 01:12 AM On 2/21/2023 at 3:25 PM, Guest RW Johnson said: How should be Bylaws be worded? They could say something like "All officer elections must take place by ballot vote except for any offices to which only one candidate has been nominated." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Novosielski Posted February 22, 2023 at 06:38 AM Report Share Posted February 22, 2023 at 06:38 AM On 2/21/2023 at 7:30 PM, Joshua Katz said: This is the rule already if there is no balloted vote. So I guess something like "in the event a candidate is unopposed, no balloted vote may be ordered." There's no need to prohibit a ballot vote--that strikes me as overkill. All that's needed is language like "Whenever the number of nominees for an office exceeds the number to be elected, the election shall be held by ballot vote." That requires ballots for contested elections, allows acclamation to be used for unopposed offices, but still allows the assembly to move for a ballot vote if it's deemed desirable, for example if they want to permit write-in votes for an otherwise unopposed office. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shmuel Gerber Posted February 22, 2023 at 01:31 PM Report Share Posted February 22, 2023 at 01:31 PM On 2/22/2023 at 1:38 AM, Gary Novosielski said: All that's needed is language like "Whenever the number of nominees for an office exceeds the number to be elected, the election shall be held by ballot vote." I like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Novosielski Posted February 22, 2023 at 10:58 PM Report Share Posted February 22, 2023 at 10:58 PM On 2/22/2023 at 8:31 AM, Shmuel Gerber said: I like this. Thanx! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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