Election Best Practices?

[Roz]

This will be my first time in charge of running an election. What are best practices for voting? I would imagine that myself (parliamentarian) and another board member would count votes together? We don't have any positions that have more than 1 candidate running unless someone writes somebody in during the voting, so as long as we reach quorum then each person fills the spot they ran for? Do we need to post a start and end time to voting, or is the date enough? Voting is done at our last event of the season.

[rulesasker]

On 5/15/2024 at 3:19 PM, Roz said:

I would imagine that myself (parliamentarian) and another board member would count votes together?

RONR says that the chair appoints trustworthy people to serve as "tellers". If the chair thinks you and the other board member are trustworthy, maybe. But it might be difficult for the parliamentarian to adequately serve as a parliamentarian while counting votes.

On 5/15/2024 at 3:19 PM, Roz said:

We don't have any positions that have more than 1 candidate running unless someone writes somebody in during the voting, so as long as we reach quorum then each person fills the spot they ran for?

Unless your bylaws say otherwise, you don't even have to have the election if only one person is nominated. You can just say that the single nominee is elected "by acclamation" after giving people a chance to nominate someone else.

On 5/15/2024 at 3:19 PM, Roz said:

Do we need to post a start and end time to voting, or is the date enough? Voting is done at our last event of the season.

Unless your bylaws say otherwise, you don't need to "post" anything. If your bylaws say that notice is required for the election, you just need to say that the meeting is for the purpose of the election, and the date and time the meeting starts.

That's all RONR, if you're asking about best practices, I would think it is good to tell your society when the election is so that they feel like they have a voice.

[Richard Brown]

Well, let’s back up just a bit. If your bylaws say that elections shall be by ballot, then you must take the vote by secret ballot, even if there is only one candidate running for each position. The ballot should contain a space for members to write in someone’s name as a write in candidate. 

if your bylaws do not require that voting be by ballot, then, if there is only one candidate for a position, after nominations are closed, and there is only one nominee, the president simply announces “ Mr. Smith,  being the only nominee, is elected“.

if you are new at this, I suggest you pick up a copy of Robert’s Rules of Order in Brief.  It is published by the Roberts Rules Association, is inexpensive, and contains most of the  information that you need for participating in meetings. The current edition is the third edition.  It’s about eight dollars on Amazon. If you want the “real thing“ — RONR—  aka “the right book“, then get a copy of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised 12th edition. It’s about $14 on Amazon.

I also recommend Roberts Rules for Dummies, currently in the 4th edition, which is an excellent book that explains in layman‘s terms some of the more complex provisions of RONR. It is not a substitute for RONR, but is rather a book about RONR which you might find very helpful in your quest to learn parliamentary procedure 

 

[Josh Martin]

On 5/15/2024 at 3:19 PM, Roz said:

What are best practices for voting?

Well, that's a very broad question. For ballot votes, see Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (12th ed.) 45:17-41, or Robert's Rules of Order In Brief (3rd ed.) pgs. 74-76.

(Although for the current election, you may not need to worry too much.)

On 5/15/2024 at 3:19 PM, Roz said:

I would imagine that myself (parliamentarian) and another board member would count votes together?

The chair would appoint tellers. Your suggestion as to the parliamentarian and another board member as tellers seems reasonable enough.

On 5/15/2024 at 3:19 PM, Roz said:

We don't have any positions that have more than 1 candidate running unless someone writes somebody in during the voting, so as long as we reach quorum then each person fills the spot they ran for?

That seems correct.

I would double-check, however, whether the bylaws require a ballot vote. If they do not, you might be able to have the chair simply declare the candidates elected.

On 5/15/2024 at 3:19 PM, Roz said:

Do we need to post a start and end time to voting, or is the date enough?

It is not required to announce the start and end time of voting in the notice of the meeting, if that is your question. (Indeed, those facts may not be known until the meeting itself.)

On 5/15/2024 at 4:20 PM, rulesasker said:

RONR says that the chair appoints trustworthy people to serve as "tellers". If the chair thinks you and the other board member are trustworthy, maybe. But it might be difficult for the parliamentarian to adequately serve as a parliamentarian while counting votes.

If the assembly were to continue to conduct other business during the counting of votes, yes, that might be a problem. But if the assembly takes a recess or stands at ease while the votes are counted, I don't see an issue with the parliamentarian serving as a teller.

Edited May 17, 2024 at 01:16 PM by Josh Martin

[Casey239]

Roz - welcome.   I am also very new to this world and have found this Forum to be super helpful in guiding me.   Of course, what Mr. Martin & Mr. Brown said!   I might add that you would need Robert's Rules of Order, 12th Edition (RONR), the official book of parliamentary authority first.  But I would second the motion of obtaining Robert's Rules of Order In Brief (ROIB).   I have both and tend to use the ROIB more -- it is very practical and tactical for all the scenarios you might encounter.   I love that it gives examples (scripts, really) for motions and other very foreign items to the new user.  

As a matter of fact, some of the editors for RONR moderate this forum, so stay tuned!  Good luck!

Edited May 18, 2024 at 05:15 PM by Casey239
second thoughts

[Gary Novosielski]

On 5/15/2024 at 4:19 PM, Roz said:

We don't have any positions that have more than 1 candidate running unless someone writes somebody in during the voting, so as long as we reach quorum then each person fills the spot they ran for?

Presuming this is a written ballot, then yes, as long as a candidate receives at least one vote,