Elected candidate declined

[Guest Guest]

We recently ran an election for vice chair with two candidates.  The one who won decline the position.  We don't have anything in our bylaws to address this.  Can we declare the remaining candidate who received the next highest vote the winner or would we need to rerun the election with only one name on the ballot?

[George Mervosh]

On 3/14/2023 at 12:16 PM, Guest Guest said:

We recently ran an election for vice chair with two candidates.  The one who won decline the position.  We don't have anything in our bylaws to address this.  Can we declare the remaining candidate who received the next highest vote the winner or would we need to rerun the election with only one name on the ballot?

You have an incomplete election.  At the next regular or properly called meeting, nominations should be taken from the floor and another vote conducted.  No one is automatically on the next ballot.  Remember to leave in a space for a write-in vote when voting by ballot.

[Guest Guest]

On 3/14/2023 at 12:27 PM, George Mervosh said:

You have an incomplete election.  At the next regular or properly called meeting, nominations should be taken from the floor and another vote conducted.  No one is automatically on the next ballot.  Remember to leave in a space for a write-in vote when voting by ballot.

If we have a specific nomination period and process for the elections, outside of emergency elections for candidates who leave mid-term, outlined in our bylaws would we still take new nominations? 

[George Mervosh]

On 3/14/2023 at 12:56 PM, Guest Guest said:

If we have a specific nomination period and process for the elections, outside of emergency elections for candidates who leave mid-term, outlined in our bylaws would we still take new nominations? 

I don't know what your rules say or if they are even applicable to an incomplete election.  Nominations are not strictly necessary for a vote by ballot.  A ballot can be as simple as a blank piece of paper members write their vote on.

[Richard Brown]

On 3/14/2023 at 11:27 AM, George Mervosh said:

You have an incomplete election.  At the next regular or properly called meeting, nominations should be taken from the floor and another vote conducted.  No one is automatically on the next ballot. 

George, do you have a citation for the premise that with an incomplete election, no one is automatically on the next ballot?  I can't find anything in RONR which says that and sections 46:32 and 46:46 seem to say... or at least imply... otherwise.  For example, 46:46 says "another vote can be taken immediately or at the next meeting without notice".   This says to me that the assembly simply votes again and that all names except for the member who declined to serve remain on the ballot, although nominations of course may be re-opened by means of a motion to do so.

[George Mervosh]

On 3/14/2023 at 9:58 PM, Richard Brown said:

George, do you have a citation for the premise that with an incomplete election, no one is automatically on the next ballot?  I can't find anything in RONR which says that and sections 46:32 and 46:46 seem to say... or at least imply... otherwise.  For example, 46:46 says "another vote can be taken immediately or at the next meeting without notice".   This says to me that the assembly simply votes again and that all names except for the member who declined to serve remain on the ballot, although nominations of course may be re-opened by means of a motion to do so.

I don't, but this is not the case where RONR discusses dropping a name from a ballot in subsequent rounds of balloting when no one has achieved a majority vote as shown in 46:32.  Someone did win, he just declined.  I am certainly open to the fact my response may not be correct in this regard.