Is an Officer really an officer

[Guest Richard Crane]

For years our club has been electing an officer without that office really being designated in our by-laws. Our elections are in January of each year. We added this office to our by-laws this July. Since we did have an actual election in January, does that election hold? Or do we need to cast an interim election for this office to hold between now and next January, when our elections are normally held?

[hmtcastle]

Since we did have an actual election in January, does that election hold? Or do we need to cast an interim election for this office to hold between now and next January, when our elections are normally held?

You'll need to hold an election (though you don't necessarily have to wait until January). In the meantime, the newly-created office is vacant.

[Guest Richard Crane]

This leads to the next question. Our bylaws provide for elections in January, with nominations to be made the month before. In this case, with the vacant office, do we have to wait a month between nominations and elections? Or, assuming we have a quorum at the next meeting, can we take nominations and have the elections at the same time?

[hmtcastle]

This leads to the next question. Our bylaws provide for elections in January, with nominations to be made the month before. In this case, with the vacant office, do we have to wait a month between nominations and elections? Or, assuming we have a quorum at the next meeting, can we take nominations and have the elections at the same time?

Your bylaws can only be properly interpreted in their entirety, something that's beyond the scope of this forum. But, generally speaking, even when bylaws provide for elections at an annual meeting, special mid-term elections are not prohibited. Further, nominations need not be made a month in advance and, in fact, there needn't be any nominations at all. Your rules may vary.