abrupt meeting ending

[Guest Jon Radwan]

Hi! If the chair departs abruptly, are votes conducted under the direction of the co-chair "proper"? thanks!

[hmtcastle]

Hi! If the chair departs abruptly, are votes conducted under the direction of the co-chair "proper"? thanks!

Well, if you really do have "co-chairs" then you have two chairs so, if one leaves, the other presides.

But, assuming you have a vice-chair, the vice-chair would preside in the absence of the chair. If the vice-chair is also absent, the secretary, or any member if the secretary is also absent, would conduct a brief election to select a chair pro tem (a temporary chair).

[Chris Harrison]

If the Chair leaves the Vice Chair would take over.

[Mr. J!]

and if there is no chair, vice-chair, or "co-chair" present, as long as a quorum is present the meeting continues until adjourned. Elect a chairman pro tempore to preside.

[Tim Wynn]

... are votes conducted under the direction of the co-chair "proper"?

Yes, business conducted under any valid chair would be equally as valid as business conducted under the regular chair, and anyone acting in this role would be referred to as the chair (unless he had another nifty title in the organization; see RONR(10th ed.), p. 22 for all the gory details).

[Trina]

Yes, business conducted under any valid chair would be equally as valid as business conducted under the regular chair...

Going a step further is there any reason business conducted without any chair would not be valid? In a small and well-behaved assembly, it's certainly possible to state motions, debate them, and vote, without really needing the services of a presiding officer. If the chair leaves the meeting, for example, and members continue their debate of a motion and then vote, I believe the outcome of the vote would be valid, even if there is no officially designated presiding officer in the room at all (as long as there is still a quorum, of course). Does RONR say otherwise?

[Dan Honemann]

Going a step further is there any reason business conducted without any chair would not be valid? In a small and well-behaved assembly, it's certainly possible to state motions, debate them, and vote, without really needing the services of a presiding officer. If the chair leaves the meeting, for example, and members continue their debate of a motion and then vote, I believe the outcome of the vote would be valid, even if there is no officially designated presiding officer in the room at all (as long as there is still a quorum, of course). Does RONR say otherwise?

"The minimum essential officers for the conduct of business in a deliberative assembly are a presiding officer, who conducts the meeting and sees that the rules are observed, and a secretary, or clerk, who makes a written record of what is done - usually called 'the minutes.'" (RONR, 10th ed., p. 21)

[Mr. J!]

Going a step further is there any reason business conducted without any chair would not be valid? In a small and well-behaved assembly, it's certainly possible to state motions, debate them, and vote, without really needing the services of a presiding officer. If the chair leaves the meeting, for example, and members continue their debate of a motion and then vote, I believe the outcome of the vote would be valid, even if there is no officially designated presiding officer in the room at all (as long as there is still a quorum, of course). Does RONR say otherwise?

The two essential officers for conducting business are a presiding officer and a secretary. (In committees or very small boards, these roles may be done by the same person.)

If the members voted, someone called for the yeas and nays. That person was presiding.

[Guest Jon Radwan]

Wow you guys are fast! Thanks!!!