email voting

[grammaconnie]

Our bylaws do not allow email voting. However, the executive board developed a Standard Order of Procedure whereby they can vote by email up to a certain dollar amount and only a few times a month. Some members wonder if this is proper since our bylaws do not allow for an email vote.

[J. J.]

It is not proper. Without bylaw authorization, any vote taken by e-mail is null and void (pp. 224 e, 408-9).

[grammaconnie]

It is not proper. Without bylaw authorization, any vote taken by e-mail is null and void (pp. 224 e, 408-9).

I have read page 224 but cannot find 224 e. Am I missing something?

[hmtcastle]

I have read page 224 but cannot find 224 e. Am I missing something?

Perhaps Mr. J. was referring to item "e" on p.244.

[Josh Martin]

Perhaps Mr. J. was referring to item "e" on p.244.

Although this seems more like a case of pg. 244 (d) to me.

[grammaconnie]

Thanks. Your information was most helpful.

I should have taken my original question a step further. Can a board institute a Standard of Procedure whenever they desire? Our bylaws state that the president can appoint committees. Can a board then initiate a Standard of Procedure outlining committee formation, committee chair, committee liaison. Can this Standard of Procedure state that if the liason to a committee is a board member that the liason cannot vote in the committee?

[Rob Elsman]

Although this seems more like a case of pg. 244 (d) to me.

I agree with Mr. Martin. The fundamental principle of parliamentary law that is involved is found on p. 408, l. 31, through p. 409, l. 1.

[hmtcastle]

Although this seems more like a case of pg. 244 (d) to me.

I agree with Mr. Martin.

Well then perhaps Mr. J. not only meant "244" when he typed "224" but "d" when he typed "e" (those two keys are awfully close).

Mr. J.?

[grammaconnie]

I had previously read those pages and found the information helpful. However, the following paragraph is in our bylaws and one person is arguing that this paragraph gives the board permission to vote by email. "Any action required or permitted to be taken at a meeting of the Executive Board may be taken without a meeting if all of the persons entitled to vote theron consent thereto in writing."

[Rob Elsman]

I had previously read those pages and found the information helpful. However, the following paragraph is in our bylaws and one person is arguing that this paragraph gives the board permission to vote by email. "Any action required or permitted to be taken at a meeting of the Executive Board may be taken without a meeting if all of the persons entitled to vote theron consent thereto in writing."

Because of the nature and purpose of this forum, we will have to leave it up to you all to determine whether the cited rule authorizes voting by email. The general law is clear, though: voting is limited to members who are actually present in a legal meeting when the vote is taken. RONR (10th ed.), pp. 408-409.

[hmtcastle]

"Any action required or permitted to be taken at a meeting of the Executive Board may be taken without a meeting if all of the persons entitled to vote theron consent thereto in writing."

What the heck, other than Charlize's last name, is "theron"?

[jstackpo]

A simple typo -- "o" and "i" are neighbors (ir os that neoghbirs?) on the qwertyuiop typewruters. Not Dvorak, however.

[jstackpo]

If people would only LOOK at the keyboard, the way any sensible person does, while they type, we wouldn't have this problem.

[hmtcastle]

A simple typo -- "o" and "i" are neighbors (ir os that neoghbirs?) on the qwertyuiop typewruters. Not Dvorak, however.

I suspected it was a typo but, in my clumsy way, I was trying to call attention to the excessive legalese of "thereon" and "thereto".

[Gary c Tesser]

I suspected it was a typo but, in my clumsy way, I was trying to call attention to the excessive legalese of "thereon" and "thereto".

Not clumsy enough.

[grammaconnie]

For the record. It was not a typo on my part. That is exactly what the section says. Thank you. I do enjoy the light banter.

[Gary Novosielski]

What the heck, other than Charlize's last name, is "theron"?

no doubt "thereon"

[hmtcastle]

For the record. It was not a typo on my part. That is exactly what the section says.

Make sure you're looking at the minutes of the meeting where that rule was adopted. You might just be looking at a copy with a typo. If "theron" appears that way in the minutes, you can schedule a corrective amendment. Or use it as a parliamentary "ice-breaker" to lead into more controversial amendments.

[grammaconnie]

As I stated above, the quote is exactly as it appears in our bylaws - not in minutes.

[hmtcastle]

As I stated above, the quote is exactly as it appears in our bylaws - not in minutes.

But your bylaws are in your minutes. Everything else is just a copy and, in this case, maybe a flawed copy.

As Alfred Korzybksi famously put it, "The map is not the territory".

[Josh Martin]

Can a board institute a Standard of Procedure whenever they desire? Our bylaws state that the president can appoint committees. Can a board then initiate a Standard of Procedure outlining committee formation, committee chair, committee liaison. Can this Standard of Procedure state that if the liason to a committee is a board member that the liason cannot vote in the committee?

The board can only adopt rules if authorized to do so by the Bylaws or by the membership by vote. Even if the board is authorized to adopt rules, those rules may not conflict with the Bylaws.