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E-mail Voting


Guest Linda

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We are a catholic altar & rosary society and need to place an order to receive shipment for something our parish priest has requested us to do which is not a usual purchase we make on a routine occasion (Christmas supply). We know that the motion would pass at the next meeting by a large margin. As president it has been suggested by other officers that I e-mail members for a vote but I see many problems with conducting it that way (i.e. I have to have someone present the motion and 2nd it before it can be voted and subsequently voted and trust everyone "replies to all" everytime.) Semantics aside from the e-mailing obstacles, can this still be done? We have nothing in the bylaws about e-mailing, just that we can have special meetings. We will have no problem on the vote count but don't want to appear to try to circumvent RONR.

Thank you,

Linda

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Semantics aside from the e-mailing obstacles, can this still be done?

You can't vote via e-mail if your bylaws don't authorize it but you could take an individual action and then have the Society ratify the action at the next meeting. Note that this is supposed to be for emergencies that can't wait for a special, or the next regular, meeting.

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We are a catholic altar & rosary society and need to place an order to receive shipment for something our parish priest has requested us to do which is not a usual purchase we make on a routine occasion (Christmas supply). We know that the motion would pass at the next meeting by a large margin. As president it has been suggested by other officers that I e-mail members for a vote but I see many problems with conducting it that way (i.e. I have to have someone present the motion and 2nd it before it can be voted and subsequently voted and trust everyone "replies to all" everytime.) Semantics aside from the e-mailing obstacles, can this still be done? We have nothing in the bylaws about e-mailing, just that we can have special meetings. We will have no problem on the vote count but don't want to appear to try to circumvent RONR.

Thank you,

Linda

If your bylaws have nothing about e-mailing then you simply don't have e-mailing.

But you do have special meetings, so you can call one of those, being careful to follow the prior-notice requirements etc., in your bylaws. Figure out what the quorum is and how many can make it.

If you're really short on time and you're REEEEEALY sure you've got the votes, you (or a few of you) can go out on a limb and order the supplies, and then get the society to "ratify' the action at the next meeting. But if you move to ratify the emergency action, and the vote on the motion to ratify does not pass, you (or whoever ordered the supplies) are probably going to be on the hook for the amount spent.

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We have nothing in the bylaws about e-mailing, just that we can have special meetings. We will have no problem on the vote count but don't want to appear to try to circumvent RONR.

See RONR(10th ed.), p. 89-90 for details on Special Meetings. As president, it's good for you to know how one is called (check your bylaws), and this seems like a great opportunity to get some practical experience with it. ;)

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