Uncontested Officer

[Guest Robert S]

I’ve been researching this topic. Does the organization have to accept an uncontested candidate? I read that voting is not a “yes/no,” vote. 
 

If the answer is yes, what do you do if the uncontested nominee is not competent?  Rule him/her out as a nominee? 

[Rob Elsman]

The correct answer depends on the method of voting used.

[Gary Novosielski]

No, there is no way to raise a Point of Order against someone's nomination unless you can show that they do not meet the eligibility requirements in the bylaws.

What you do is nominate someone else, or vote for someone else as a write-in vote.

The rules on ballot votes say: 

45:25 
In elections, “for” and “against” spaces or boxes may not be
used. They are applicable only with respect to votes on
motions. In an election, a voter can vote against one candidate
only by voting for another who has been nominated or by
writing in the name of another candidate.

[Josh Martin]

On 8/4/2023 at 6:38 PM, Guest Robert S said:

Does the organization have to accept an uncontested candidate?

Well, no, but the only way to not "accept" a candidate is to elect someone else. So ultimately the only way to prevent the election of an uncontested candidate is to make them a contested candidate.

You could potentially delay the election until other candidates can be found, but you can't simply refuse to elect anyone to the position. Delaying the election would be accomplished by means of a motion to Postpone to a Certain Time.

On 8/4/2023 at 6:38 PM, Guest Robert S said:

I read that voting is not a “yes/no,” vote. 

This depends somewhat on the manner in which the election is conducted. If the election is conducted by a ballot vote, then members vote for a candidate of their choice, which may be any eligible candidate - that is, "write-in" votes are in order. But it is correct that, in a ballot vote, you don't simply vote "yes/no" in an election.

In a voice vote, you would vote "yes" or "no" on each candidate in order. But if a ballot vote is not required, you generally would not hold a vote at all - the chair would simply declare the candidate elected by acclamation. Further, even to the extent a voice vote is taken, simply voting "no" won't resolve anything.

When the assembly fails to elect a candidate, regardless of the method of voting used, the assembly doesn't simply move on and leave that office vacant. The election is repeated, as many times as is necessary, until a candidate is elected.

So as noted above, while potentially this election can be delayed, ultimately the only way to prevent the election of a candidate is to elect someone else.

On 8/4/2023 at 6:38 PM, Guest Robert S said:

If the answer is yes, what do you do if the uncontested nominee is not competent?  Rule him/her out as a nominee? 

Find a better candidate. If it will take time to do that, adopt a motion to Postpone to a Certain Time. You can't simply rule someone out as a nominee.

Edited August 5, 2023 at 11:45 AM by Josh Martin