Filling a President-Elect Vacancy

[Mandi D]

Looking for some guidance on a situation that we could be faced with in the upcoming months. What would be the proper next steps should our President-Elect need to resign? Here is what we have in our Bylaws:

In case of a vacancy in any office other than President, the Board of Directors shall select a successor to serve the remainder of the unexpired term of the vacant office. In case of vacancy in the office of President, the President-elect shall assume the office of President and shall serve the President’s remaining term and the term to which he was elected as President-elect. The line of succession for President or President-elect shall be to First Vice President to Second Vice President to Treasurer to the Vice President, Publications.

This reads to me as though the First Vice President would step into the President-Elect position to fill the remainder of the term since the line of succession for President or President-elect is described in the last sentence, but would that person then be committed to remain on the Board to serve the following years as President and Past President since the President-Elect, when elected, serves three years, the first as President-Elect, second as President, and third as Past President? 

[Atul Kapur]

On 1/24/2023 at 1:57 PM, Mandi D said:

This reads to me as though the First Vice President would step into the President-Elect position

 That's how it reads to me, too.

On 1/24/2023 at 1:57 PM, Mandi D said:

would that person then be committed to remain on the Board to serve the following years as President and Past President

I would expect so.

[Gary Novosielski]

On 1/24/2023 at 1:57 PM, Mandi D said:

Looking for some guidance on a situation that we could be faced with in the upcoming months. What would be the proper next steps should our President-Elect need to resign? Here is what we have in our Bylaws:

In case of a vacancy in any office other than President, the Board of Directors shall select a successor to serve the remainder of the unexpired term of the vacant office. In case of vacancy in the office of President, the President-elect shall assume the office of President and shall serve the President’s remaining term and the term to which he was elected as President-elect. The line of succession for President or President-elect shall be to First Vice President to Second Vice President to Treasurer to the Vice President, Publications.

This reads to me as though the First Vice President would step into the President-Elect position to fill the remainder of the term since the line of succession for President or President-elect is described in the last sentence, but would that person then be committed to remain on the Board to serve the following years as President and Past President since the President-Elect, when elected, serves three years, the first as President-Elect, second as President, and third as Past President? 

Yes I'd agree with that interpretation.  In RONR, when there are multiple numbered vice-presidents, and the president leaves office, all the VPs shift one number over, leaving a vacancy in the highest numbered VP position.  Specifying a variant line of succession would suggest that the same behavior applies.  

I'm not necessarily saying that I think it's a good idea, though.   In some societies, Vice presidents, although numbered, are not interchangeable but are assigned specialized roles, which may be adversely affected by a sudden game of musical chairs.  In such societies, this is an area of the bylaws that deserves careful consideration.

[Mandi D]

Thank you both for your prompt replies!