meeting closed with contention for officer position

[Guest TJ Molendyk]

Our last American Legion Post meeting was closed with two names in contention for an officer position, what can we legally do to properly fill the spot?

[rulesasker]

What do you mean in contention? Were they nominated? If so, you need to ask if there are any more nominations and then immediately move to a vote at the next meeting. 

[Guest rulesasker]

they were nominated however I had asked a member to make an amendment to the previous minutes which was ignored.  I was absent from the meeting and was meaning to address the amendment.  So one nominee turned into two nominees because of the ignored amendment.

[rulesasker]

I don’t understand why amending or not amending minutes would affect the number of nominees. The assembly should vote on the nominees as soon as there are no further nominees. 

Edited June 24, 2023 at 12:28 AM by rulesasker

[Gary Novosielski]

On 6/23/2023 at 8:25 PM, Guest rulesasker said:

they were nominated however I had asked a member to make an amendment to the previous minutes which was ignored.  I was absent from the meeting and was meaning to address the amendment.  So one nominee turned into two nominees because of the ignored amendment.

Amending the minutes is not the way to accomplish things that should have been be done by a motion and vote, but weren't.  The minutes should reflect what was actually done at the meeting--nothing more, nothing less.  

To answer the original question, if there are two candidates for one office, you hold what's known as an Election.

[Joshua Katz]

I will freely admit I have no idea what is going on.

[Rob Elsman]

With my colleagues, I do not fully understand the nature of the problem; however, if the post's parliamentary authority is RONR (12th ed.), the rules concerning nominations and elections would be binding to the extent they do not conflict with operative laws, regulations, or the organization's governing documents.

• Does the post have a standing committee on rules charged with continuing education of members on best practicing in conformity with operative rules?
• Did the members receive training on nominations and elections well in advance of electioneering season?
• Did the members rehearse proper nomination and election procedures?
• Did the post's officers receive special training on their particular roles in the context of nominations and elections?
• Does the presiding officer have a copy of RONR (12th ed.) at hand during each meeting?

[Josh Martin]

On 6/23/2023 at 6:34 PM, Guest TJ Molendyk said:

Our last American Legion Post meeting was closed with two names in contention for an officer position, what can we legally do to properly fill the spot?

By members voting for the candidate of their choice. Majority rules.

I don't understand what the problem is here.

On 6/23/2023 at 7:25 PM, Guest rulesasker said:

they were nominated however I had asked a member to make an amendment to the previous minutes which was ignored.

I don't understand what the minutes of a previous meeting have to do with this.

On 6/23/2023 at 7:25 PM, Guest rulesasker said:

So one nominee turned into two nominees because of the ignored amendment.

I'm confused. Is there a dispute as to whether one of these persons was, in fact, nominated?