AGM Quorum

[Guest H.Wm.Mountcastle]

The RONR default quorum requirement is a majority (more than half))of the membership. Paid or not.

Without a quorum, you're limited to waiting for a quorum to show up or adjourning (extending) the meeting (presumably to a time when a quorum is mo"

[Guest ET]

Is this a hard and fast rule or is it still possible to make a motion to meet to inform or make a report? I do understand no other business matters can be tabled because there is no quorum."

[Guest H.Wm.Mountcastle]

It's a hard and fast rule.

No quorum? Go home.

And be careful about tossing the word "tabled" around."

[Guest dan]

Unless I am missing something very basic, when the issue is a quorum terms such as "majority of those present" or "2/3 of those present" make no sense whatsoever. A quorum relates to the number of members necessary to conduct business."

[Guest Rob Elsman]

"All [members] present count towards the quorum requirement."

Not always. A member who is present, but whose right to vote has been suspended as the result of a disciplinary action or some rule in the bylaws, is not a "voting membe"

[Guest ET]

Sorry if I misused the word "table". Can you enlighten me on the proper use of that word?"

[Guest John M.]

>>Can you enlighten me on the proper use of that word?<<

The motion to Lay on the Table is used to temporarily set aside a motion in order to reach some more pressing matter of business.

From the way you've used the term, I s"

[Guest ET]

I apologize for the mistake. I am confusing quorum and voting requirements. Going back to my original question, if the constitution is silent, can the general membership, who are in attendance at the AGM, decide that whatever number of attendees there ar"

[Guest H.Wm.Mountcastle]

No.

If you've adopted RONR as your parliamentary authority (and probably even if you haven't) the default quorum (when you bylaws or constitution are silent) is a majority of the membership.

What if only one member showed up. Could he de"

[Guest ET]

Since that is what happened and that has been the practice for as long as the organization has existed, does it mean everything that were carried out in those AGMs like election of officers, constitutional amendments are unconstitutional (even though the "

[Guest H.Wm.Mountcastle]

If your organization has NOT adopted RONR, or some comparable (?) book, as its parliamentary authority, then past practice (i.e. precedent) MIGHT be persuasive, if not dispositive.

But if your organization HAS adopted RONR, then the written rule "

[Guest ET]

I think past practice is what we have been using to determine quorum (ie. whoever is in attendance) and I am afraid we have to continue following that until we can amend our constitution, so it will not be silent on this matter. Thank you for the helpful"

[Guest H.Wm.Mountcastle]

>>I am afraid we have to continue following that<<

So you're going to continue to ignore the rules? And at the meeting where you propose to amend the bylaws, if only a handful of members show up, that's okay too? They could have a fie"

[Guest ET]

I thought you just told me "If your organization has NOT adopted RONR, or some comparable (?) book, as its parliamentary authority, then past practice (i.e. precedent) MIGHT be persuasive, if not dispositive." So, what rule am I ignoring by say"

[Guest Nancy N.]

Okay, ET, lets get the basics handled. Is RONR the organization's parliamentary authority?"

[Guest ET]

It is not mentioned in our constitution but verbally it is always being referred to by the parliamentarians in the group when constitution does not say anything. I guess the answer is both no and yes."

[Guest Nancy N.]

Um.. Thank you, ET. If your constitution (no bylaws too, or mention in them of RONR if there are bylaws?) does not mention a parliamentary authority, then you do not have one. The answer is not no and yes: the answer is no.

(Note to ET: fix t"

[Guest ET]

Thank you for you comments. I know our situation is chaotic because our constitution is silent on a few things like quorum, etc. If it is not chaotic, I would not be asking questions in this forum."