Two thirds vote

[dale B]

In a large organization with over 1000 members it is not likely you can get 2/3. I believe in early 2000, there was something about 2/3 member present and 30 day notice?

[Shmuel Gerber]

On 5/2/2024 at 1:02 PM, dale B said:

In a large organization with over 1000 members it is not likely you can get 2/3. I believe in early 2000, there was something about 2/3 member present and 30 day notice?

When Robert's Rules of Order requires a 2/3 vote, it is 2/3 of the votes cast at a meeting. Sometimes this is accompanied by a requirement for previous notice, which means notice given in the call to the meeting or orally at the previous meeting.

If your organization has a different requirement, such as 2/3 of the entire membership or 2/3 of the members present, then it would need to say so in the governing documents.

[Gary Novosielski]

On 5/2/2024 at 1:02 PM, dale B said:

In a large organization with over 1000 members it is not likely you can get 2/3. I believe in early 2000, there was something about 2/3 member present and 30 day notice?

You must be confusing two or more requirements.

The minimum number of members present is the quorum.  As long as this number is in the room, whether awake or asleep, business may be conducted.  It would be highly unusual for a quorum to be 2/3 of the membership. Check your bylaws.  If they do not say, then a quorum is a majority of the members.

Once a quorum is present, a two-thirds vote means any vote where the number of Yes votes are twice (or more) the number of No votes.  Abstentions do not matter, since they are a refusal to vote.  The number present does not matter (as long as a quorum is met).  All that matters is the number of Yes and No votes. 

Thirty-day notice is some other requirement that does not refer to either of the above.  You'll have to peruse your bylaws to see what it applies to.

[Josh Martin]

On 5/2/2024 at 12:02 PM, dale B said:

In a large organization with over 1000 members it is not likely you can get 2/3. I believe in early 2000, there was something about 2/3 member present and 30 day notice?

Perhaps you could provide some additional context concerning what you are talking about. You say "In a large organization with over 1000 members it is not likely you can get 2/3."

To the extent you are saying it is not likely you can get 2/3 of the full 1,000 members, this sounds likely to be accurate, but why does this question arise? Does your organization require 2/3 of the entire membership to attend meetings in order to have a quorum? Does your organization require a vote of 2/3 of the entire membership? 

Please describe more specifically what exactly the situation is and what exactly your organization's rules say on this subject.

Edited May 2, 2024 at 07:54 PM by Josh Martin