Counting Proxies

[Tomm]

I fully understand that RONR does not agree with the use of proxies, but I was hoping one of the parliamentarians who may have experience with large annual membership meetings where proxies were allowed can explain how they are typically handled and addressed when taking a vote. Unfortunately, our organization allows proxies.

When taking a voice or show of hands vote, how is it determined how many votes are represented? 

When members check-in to a meeting, and having had to return their proxy forms 10 days before the meeting for verification, are they assigned a special seating area whereby the number of votes being represented is known?

Any insight on this is greatly appreciated, and now having thought more about it, I can understand why proxies are discouraged.

[J. J.]

First of all, RONR notes that proxies can be used if there is bylaw authorization or a statutory requirement.

Second, in my experience, depending on how many proxies someone could have, voting cards are uses.  Some voter with 3 proxies gets a card for himself and one for each proxy.  The voter would then hold up the cards to vote and the cards would be counted.  Voice voting, unless overwhelmingly clear, would not be used. 

[Tomm]

Thanks, that helps but it seems to me that there would then have been a limit on how many proxies one member could hold?

You certainly couldn't hold up 30 cards very easily!

[Gary Novosielski]

On 5/13/2023 at 8:16 PM, Tomm said:

Thanks, that helps but it seems to me that there would then have been a limit on how many proxies one member could hold?

You certainly couldn't hold up 30 cards very easily!

Correct.  RONR solves this problem by lowering the number of proxies to zero.

[Atul Kapur]

Many have just moved to electronic voting with "clickers" for every vote. You have a system where the software can assign the clicker given to the particular person the number of votes they carry (their one plus the number of proxies they have).

I have seen one meeting where they couldn't assign a different number of votes to each clicker, so one member was given 30 clickers. By the end of the meeting, he got pretty efficient at voting - reminded me of those very experienced bingo players who'd play dozens of cards at the same time.

[J. J.]

On 5/13/2023 at 8:16 PM, Tomm said:

Thanks, that helps but it seems to me that there would then have been a limit on how many proxies one member could hold?

You certainly couldn't hold up 30 cards very easily!

You could have the number of proxies printed on the card.

You will need to adopt a special rule to use cards.