Election Candidates

[Guest S.Grande]

Our HOA is holding candidate night q&a meeting for open Board seats.  It was brought to boards attention moderator and committee member running event had mailed letter to members endorsing and supporting only two of the four candidates. A member objected. Now same two individuals took control will be selecting questions for candidates. 

Should this not be allowed? 

[Guest Edit:]

At meeting Board announced same two members were chosen as vote counters

[Josh Martin]

On 3/5/2024 at 8:29 AM, Guest S.Grande said:

Our HOA is holding candidate night q&a meeting for open Board seats.  It was brought to boards attention moderator and committee member running event had mailed letter to members endorsing and supporting only two of the four candidates. A member objected. Now same two individuals took control will be selecting questions for candidates. 

Should this not be allowed? 

RONR has nothing to say regarding a candidate Q&A or who should moderate or host such an event, or select questions, so there is nothing on point for this question in the text. That is up to the rules, customs, and discretion of the organization. If a member feels other persons should be managing these events, a member is free to make a motion to that effect, and whatever assembly is charged with managing these events will ultimately make that decision.

On 3/5/2024 at 8:52 AM, Guest Edit: said:

At meeting Board announced same two members were chosen as vote counters

While nothing in RONR strictly prohibits this (since I would not go so far as to say these persons have a "direct personal involvement in the question), I am inclined to think it is unwise to have two persons who have openly endorsed two of the four candidates serve as the only tellers. Generally, it is preferable to either have impartial persons serve as tellers (if such persons can be found) or, in the alternative, have representatives supporting various candidates serve as tellers. So I don't think there's necessarily anything wrong with these two persons serving as tellers, but if so, there should also be supporters of the other candidates serving as tellers.

"In balloting in a meeting where the voting is in the same room as the meeting, the chair appoints tellers to distribute, collect, and count the ballots, and to report the vote. The number of tellers is dependent on the number of voters, and the number of offices to be filled or questions to be answered, or the number of candidates. For a small group, two or three tellers are usually sufficient. The tellers should be chosen for accuracy and dependability, should have the confidence of the membership, and should not have a direct personal involvement in the question or in the result of the vote to an extent that they should refrain from voting under the principle stated in 45:4. Often their position with regard to the issue involved is well known, however, and they are frequently chosen to protect the interests of each opposing side. They normally vote themselves." RONR (12th ed.) 45:26

The chair has the authority to appoint tellers, however, the assembly could suspend the rules in this matter to determine a different method of appointing the tellers. In the alternative, the rules could be suspended to remove the chair and elect a new chair, in which case that person would then appoint tellers of their choosing. Suspending the rules requires a 2/3 vote for adoption.

Edited March 6, 2024 at 06:51 PM by Josh Martin