Nominating Committee

[Guest Curious George]

Our organization elects a nominating committee every three years to provide a slate of officers.  We also have groups within the organization which require the same thing.  We have a couple of members who are elected to the nominating committees every three years.  Is this allowed? 

[Joshua Katz]

Is which part allowed. Other than the "slate" business, I don't see anything that appears off. What are you worried about, specifically.

[Gary Novosielski]

What's not correct is a nominating committee that "provides a slate of officers".  A nominating committee should report a list of nominees.  These nominees (and any additional nominees from the floor after that report is received) then stand for election.

[Richard Brown]

Agreeing with both of my colleagues, unless your rules provide otherwise, the nominating committee provides a list of one or more nominees for each office, all of which are voted on individually, not as a "slate".  Members can vote for some of the committee recommendations, all of them, or none, by skipping some and voting for write-in candidates or people nominated from the floor.  The list of nominees is just that:  A list of nominees.  It is not truly a "slate" although it is sometimes erroneously referred to as that.

[Guest Ken Hatcher]

What if the by-law provision is that the board submits to the membership a "slate" of 7 nominations for a standing committee. The by-laws also allow the membership to make nominations from the floor at an assembly meeting of the membership to choose the 7 members of that standing committee. The specific language in the by-laws is: "A slate of candidates for the Committee shall be nominated by the Board of Trustees and presented at a called meeting of the Congregation, where a majority of Members present and voting shall elect the Committee members. The list of nominated members shall be included in the call for the meeting. Additional nominations may be made from the floor, with the prior concurrence of the nominees."  Is the best interpretation that there be a paper ballot for the 9 - the slate of 7 + 2 - in which members have 7 votes to distribute among the 9 nominees or does the "slate" terminology have any electoral significance?

[Rob Elsman]

I suppose the best interpretation is what the society intended when it adopted the bylaws.

[Richard Brown]

On 3/2/2023 at 11:57 AM, Guest Ken Hatcher said:

Is the best interpretation that there be a paper ballot for the 9 - the slate of 7 + 2 - in which members have 7 votes to distribute among the 9 nominees or does the "slate" terminology have any electoral significance?

It is up to your membership to determine what is the best interpretation or best practice.  However, as far as the rules in RONR are concerned, you do not have to have a ballot vote unless the bylaws or a special rule of order requires it.  A ballot vote may be ordered upon the adoption of a motion to do so.  A majority vote is required to order a ballot vote.  Often, it is done by custom or without objection upon the suggestion of the chair or a member.

I think in this case the word "slate" does not have any electoral significance.  Other provisions make it plain that it is a list of nominees and that nominations must be takenn from the floor.  I think it is just unfortunate terminology.

Edited March 2, 2023 at 06:45 PM by Richard Brown
Minor correction

[Gary Novosielski]

On 3/2/2023 at 12:57 PM, Guest Ken Hatcher said:

What if the by-law provision is that the board submits to the membership a "slate" of 7 nominations for a standing committee. 

Well, then see the disclaimer below.👇

That's still an odd provision though.  If the standing committee is a committee of the board, then why is the membership voting on it.  And if it's a committee of the general membership, why is the board suggesting a "slate"?

[Guest Curious George]

My question was, are the same people allowed to serve repeatedly on the nominating committee, every election year?

[Gary Novosielski]

There's no rule against it.  Since they are elected by (somebody) there is presumably an opportunity to elect someone else whenever the assembly thinks it prudent.  Is there reason to think that they're not being appointed to that committee in a fair manner?

[puzzling]

On 3/2/2023 at 5:57 PM, Guest Ken Hatcher said:

Is the best interpretation that there be a paper ballot for the 9 - the slate of 7 + 2 - in which members have 7 votes to distribute among the 9 nominees or does the "slate" terminology have any electoral significance?

Not sure where the +2 comes from, according to RONR every member may nominate 7 candidates your bylaws only require that the nominees cocur with their nomination. So it could be 7+ a lot of other nominees.

[Gary Novosielski]

On 3/2/2023 at 12:57 PM, Guest Ken Hatcher said:

[D]oes the "slate" terminology have any electoral significance?

Not according to RONR, where the word "slate" does not appear anywhere.