Order of Business

[glaufman]

Tonight is our annual Election meeting.  Our Constitution specifies this will be done at the October Membership Meeting.  This is normally done as part of New Business, which is last in the Order of Business specified in our Constitution.

We may have difficulty achieving and maintaining a quorum tonight, as some members have said they need to leave by a certain time, so as the President I wish to conduct elections earlier in the meeting.

If we are close to the "bubble" on quorum I doubt I would get any objections if I just asked for unanimous consent, but I'm not sure this is in order?

Any suggestions?

[Josh Martin]

On 10/20/2023 at 12:53 PM, glaufman said:

If we are close to the "bubble" on quorum I doubt I would get any objections if I just asked for unanimous consent, but I'm not sure this is in order?

Yes, this is in order. The assembly may suspend the rules to move something up earlier in the order of business. This requires a 2/3 vote - unanimous consent would also work, of course.

[Gary Novosielski]

Yes, this is in order, e.g.:

Obtaining the floor--"I ask unanimous consent to set aside the orders of the day and proceed to the election of officers."

If there is objection, the chair will treat it as a motion to set aside the orders of the day, which is a privileged motion and requires a two-thirds vote.

Edited October 20, 2023 at 06:27 PM by Gary Novosielski

[glaufman]

Thank you both.  I was afraid this couldn't be done because it would be setting aside something specified in the Constitution.

[Weldon Merritt]

On 10/20/2023 at 12:36 PM, glaufman said:

Thank you both.  I was afraid this couldn't be done because it would be setting aside something specified in the Constitution.

I understand your caution. Generally, provision in the bylaws cannot be suspended unless they provide for their own suspension. The exception is that  rules of order, even in the bylaws, may be suspended. (There are a few exceptions to the exception, but this is not one of them.)