order of vote

[Guest debbie van wert]

Currently in a roll call vote, we vote in alphabetical order. This give a distinct advantage to the W, X, Y and Z members who vote last and tend to vote the popular vote; the A, B, C members of the board must make the "hard" decision.

Can we rotate the order? i.e.: first vote starts with member A and ends with Z; but the next vote starts with member B and ends with A, etc.?

[Larry Cisar]

Yes, you could set up a special rule of order changing the order. But why such a worry about being on the popular side?

[hmtcastle]

Can we rotate the order?

Sure.

Vote by height. Vote by weight. Vote by IQ.

You'll have to suspend the alphabetical rule in RONR (p.406) and, if you've got more short people than tall people, or more thin people than fat people, or more stupid people than smart people, that might be a problem.

Well, except for the last option.

[David A Foulkes]

Currently in a roll call vote, we vote in alphabetical order. This give a distinct advantage to the W, X, Y and Z members who vote last and tend to vote the popular vote; the A, B, C members of the board must make the "hard" decision.

Can we rotate the order? i.e.: first vote starts with member A and ends with Z; but the next vote starts with member B and ends with A, etc.?

Also, members A, B, C (etc) can "pass" in the first go-round, in hopes that D-Z don't do so also. Assuming they don't, A-C get a "second chance" to cast their vote and can now be cool, in, and popular like everyone else has been.

It's unfortunate (at least by your sense of it apparently) that W-Z aren't voting how they truly feel or believe about a motion, but are going for "popularity" instead. What would they do with a (secret) ballot vote?

Sure.

Vote by height. Vote by weight. Vote by IQ.

You'll have to suspend the alphabetical rule in RONR (p.406) and, if you've got more short people than tall people, or more thin people than fat people, or more stupid people than smart people, that might be a problem.

Well, except for the last option.

But remember, the Board is not present at membership meetings.

[Rev Ed]

Of course, people with names starting with A, B, or C are just as likely as the W, Y, and Z names are likely to vote for the "popular" option. If you want to completely take the "popular" option, then use a ballot. No one knows who voted how, and thus you may not get the same results as you would with a roll-call bacause of this.

[Josh Martin]

Currently in a roll call vote, we vote in alphabetical order. This give a distinct advantage to the W, X, Y and Z members who vote last and tend to vote the popular vote; the A, B, C members of the board must make the "hard" decision.

Can we rotate the order? i.e.: first vote starts with member A and ends with Z; but the next vote starts with member B and ends with A, etc.?

If people are voting based on how other members vote, to the extent that it is a major concern what order members vote in, I don't think a roll call vote is the best method for voting. The purpose of a roll call vote is to pressure members into voting in the interests of their constituency, not to pressure them into voting the same way as the other members.

[Rob Elsman]

Currently in a roll call vote, we vote in alphabetical order. This give a distinct advantage to the W, X, Y and Z members who vote last and tend to vote the popular vote; the A, B, C members of the board must make the "hard" decision.

Can we rotate the order? i.e.: first vote starts with member A and ends with Z; but the next vote starts with member B and ends with A, etc.?

Don't waste your time on such silliness.

[David A Foulkes]

Currently in a roll call vote, we vote in alphabetical order. This give a distinct advantage to the W, X, Y and Z members who vote last and tend to vote the popular vote; the A, B, C members of the board must make the "hard" decision.

Can we rotate the order? i.e.: first vote starts with member A and ends with Z; but the next vote starts with member B and ends with A, etc.?

Debbie - in reality here, your problem (at least as your expression of the situation leads me to think) is not the voting method, but the membership. When members vote honestly, without fear of reprisal or concern of "fitting in" or being popular, there is virtually no advantage to the voting order. Whether my name begins with A or Z, if I'm for a motion (or against), when it gets to my turn, I vote "my conscience." If members X-Z are parlaying their position in the order into some popularity contest, then the whole membership loses.

Mr. Elsman is right - don't waste your time on a "fix" that won't. Address your real problem. If your car won't start, don't add air to the tires.

[Kim Goldsworthy]

Currently in a roll call vote, we vote in alphabetical order. This give a distinct advantage to the W, X, Y and Z members who vote last and tend to vote the popular vote; the A, B, C members of the board must make the "hard" decision.

Can we rotate the order? i.e.: first vote starts with member A and ends with Z; but the next vote starts with member B and ends with A, etc.?

Let's look at the Big Picture.

If the [early/late] voters are [influenced/influencing] per the order in which the roll call occurs, then finesses this problem completely: Conduct a secret ballot vote.

Q. What's stopping you from doing exactly that?

If you think that X is a problem, then fix, or avoid, X.