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temporary chairman


Guest Rob Hoffman

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Please help! We are a small committee helping to revise city ordinances. Because of some issues, a motion was made and tabled to elect a new chairman (who wasn't present). At this meeting we will vote on the motion to elect a new chairman. Since the meeting is supposed to be chaired by the person the motion seeks to replace, is it possible to ask the vice-chairman to serve as a temporary chair to dispose of this motion? If it passes then a new chairman would have to be nominated and elected. If it fails, the chairman would again assume the chair of the committee. Can this be done and if so how?

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At this meeting we will vote on the motion to elect a new chairman. Since the meeting is supposed to be chaired by the person the motion seeks to replace, is it possible to ask the vice-chairman to serve as a temporary chair to dispose of this motion? If it passes then a new chairman would have to be nominated and elected. If it fails, the chairman would again assume the chair of the committee. Can this be done and if so how?

If this is a motion to remove the chairman from office, then the chairman should relinquish the chair to the vice chair. If the chairman does not do so on his own initiative, the rules may be suspended to remove him from the chair. (Official Interpretation 2006-2)

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Please help! We are a small committee helping to revise city ordinances. Because of some issues, a motion was made and tabled to elect a new chairman (who wasn't present). At this meeting we will vote on the motion to elect a new chairman. Since the meeting is supposed to be chaired by the person the motion seeks to replace, is it possible to ask the vice-chairman to serve as a temporary chair to dispose of this motion? If it passes then a new chairman would have to be nominated and elected. If it fails, the chairman would again assume the chair of the committee. Can this be done and if so how?

You're exactly right.

Since the motion refers only to the chairman in his capacity as presiding officer of the committee, he should relinquish the chair to the vice chairman as soon as the motion is made, and he should not retake it until the question is disposed of. See RONR (10th ed.), p. 436, ll. 4-11.

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