Revisiting a vote

[Guest Tom]

I am a member of a men's golf club board. In our last meeting a vote was taken concerning the removal of a event. The vote was in favor of removal of that event. A member that was absent for that meeting and the subsequent vote brought forth a motion at the next meeting to reconsider and re-vote on the removal of the event

We have allowed for reconsideration in the following meeting after a vote, but we do adhere to reminder of the rule stating that a member from the winning side of the vote must be the member that calls for a reconsideration of that vote.

My question is is the member who was absent from a vote allowed to call for reconsideration of that vote.

 

[Richard Brown]

No, unless this vote took place in a committee. The rules for reconsideration of votes taken in a committee are different. In addition, it is probably too late to make a motion to reconsider as the motion to reconsider must normally be made during the same session as the original Vote. A motion to rescind or amend something previously adopted would be an order, but not a motion to reconsider unless you are still in the same session in which the original motion was adopted.

[J. J.]

Depending on the motion, it might also possible to make a new motion to hold the event.  That would largely depend on the situation. 

[Gary Novosielski]

On 7/24/2024 at 8:18 AM, Guest Tom said:

We have allowed for reconsideration in the following meeting after a vote

By what mechanism have you allowed for this?

[Rob Elsman]

Outside of committees, a member who was absent when the vote was taken would not be in a position to make the motion in any case.

[Gary Novosielski]

On 7/24/2024 at 10:27 AM, Rob Elsman said:

Outside of committees, a member who was absent when the vote was taken would not be in a position to make the motion in any case.

That's so, but I'm still curious about the mechanism.

[Richard Brown]

On 7/24/2024 at 12:17 PM, Gary Novosielski said:

That's so, but I'm still curious about the mechanism.

I’m curious about it, too, but I suspect it is something that has become a custom because they don’t properly understand the rules and nobody bothered to actually research it.

[Gary Novosielski]

On 7/24/2024 at 1:54 PM, Richard Brown said:

I’m curious about it, too, but I suspect it is something that has become a custom because they don’t properly understand the rules and nobody bothered to actually research it.

I would not bet against that proposition.

[Guest Tom]

The mechanism being used is new information has been brought to their attention. 

[Gary Novosielski]

On 7/24/2024 at 2:30 PM, Guest Tom said:

The mechanism being used is new information has been brought to their attention. 

Okay, but on rereading the question it looks like you wrote your own answer.  You adhere to the rule that only someone who voted on the prevailing side can move to Reconsider.  Then you ask if someone who was not present can move it.  

The answer is:  only if the person who was not present nevertheless voted on the prevailing side.  That seems unlikely.

[Steven Britton]

On 7/24/2024 at 8:18 AM, Guest Tom said:

I am a member of a men's golf club board. In our last meeting a vote was taken concerning the removal of a event. The vote was in favor of removal of that event. A member that was absent for that meeting and the subsequent vote brought forth a motion at the next meeting to reconsider and re-vote on the removal of the event

 

Isn't the motion for removal of an event just another way of rescinding the event's approval? Under standard characteristic eight for Rescind/Amend Something Previously adopted an affirmative vote on the motion to rescind something previously adopted cannot not be reconsidered- not even at the same meeting.

Edited July 25, 2024 at 05:38 AM by Steven Britton

[Guest Tom]

The board is almost clueless about Robert's. Before I was elected to the board about the only thing used was motions and seconds. 

With a management background in manufacturing I have always been serious about rules and proceedures and privously sat on boards that used and followed Robert's. So although familiar with Robert's although I am by no means well versed in the rules.

I am trying my best to make the board follow the rules they (previous boards) elected to use and adopt in the Bylaws and constitution. 

My largest problem has been a former local councilman who bullies his way through the rules claiming he's familiar with Robert's. His claim was that because he wasnt on the loosing side of the vote he had the right to reconsider. Regretfully I dont always have a good enough understanding to argue all of the twists thrown out. He also a very convincing ((politician)

I wanted to check with others to ensure my interpretation was correct and he didnt have the rights he claimed.

 

[Joshua Katz]

Well, I agree he had no right to move to reconsider, for multiple reasons. But I tend to agree with Mr. Britton. Following that logic, the motion to "reconsider" should have been an original main motion, and so he had the right to make it.

[Richard Brown]

I agree that @Steven Britton appears to have gotten it right with his statement that the motion which was made was actually in the nature of a motion to rescind or amend something previously adopted and cannot be reconsidered regardless of who makes a motion to reconsider, or when the motion to reconsider is made.

[Guest Tom]

The reason the event was brought up was that it appeared on the agenda to discuss the format change. Would this change what Mr Britton said?

[Rob Elsman]

I think a mistake has been committed in this topic. From what was said in the original post, I take it that I would find a motion in the form of Reconsider, were I to inspect the minutes or view a video recording of the proceedings. The questions concerning the admissibility of this motion, insofar as the rules in RONR (12th ed.) control, have been fully answered. All this other stuff is neither here nor there.

[Weldon Merritt]

On 7/29/2024 at 5:19 PM, Rob Elsman said:

The questions concerning the admissibility of this motion, insofar as the rules in RONR (12th ed.) control, have been fully answered. All this other stuff is neither here nor there.

If I understand you correctly, I agree for teh most part. Bit I also think a good chair should help members frame a proper motion, if possible. So if I were the chair, and someone made a motion to reconsider that was untimely, rather than simply ruling the motion out of order and moving on, I would help them reframe the motion as a motion to amend or rescind the previous motion or, if the previous motion was defeated, to renew it. That assumes, of course, that the alternate motion would be in order at the time, which might or might not be teh case defending on the parliamentary situation.