No Nominations?

[Guest Bob McFarland]

In our private non profit organization nominations are not made from the floor. A slip of paper is passed out and "nominations" and your vote are considered to be one-in-the-same.

As a new voting representative, I protested that I did not even know the names or spellings of the names of any candidates / nominees. How could I possibly make an informed vote? My protest was denied and the President stated "Your vote is your nomination. We do them at the same time (on the ballot)".

Is this proper? It seems to me that this is unfair, and gives the incumbents a huge advantage.

[George Mervosh]

No, see RONR, p. 423

[Guest Bob McFarland]

No, see RONR, p. 423

Is there an online edition? What is on page 423?

[Guest Bob McFarland]

Thanks. Is there an online edition I can access? What is on p. 423?

[Kim Goldsworthy]

In our private non profit organization nominations are not made from the floor. A slip of paper is passed out and "nominations" and your vote are considered to be one-in-the-same.

As a new voting representative, I protested that I did not even know the names or spellings of the names of any candidates / nominees. How could I possibly make an informed vote? My protest was denied and the President stated "Your vote is your nomination. We do them at the same time (on the ballot)".

Is this proper?

Two answers.

1. It is not proper.

2. You don't need nominations in order to hold an election. - You can indeed go straight to the voting phase without a nominations phase.

(excerpt, page 423)

NOMINATIONS BY BALLOT.

The object of a

nominating ballot is to provide the members with an indi-

cation of the sentiments of the voting body, which they may

take into account in voting in the election. The value of the

nominating ballot is that it shows the preferences without

electing anyone. The nominating ballot is conducted in the

same way as an ordinary electing ballot except that every-

one receiving a vote is nominated; the tellers’ report, there-

fore, does not state the number of votes necessary for

nomination. Since each member has the opportunity to

nominate on his ballot a candidate for every office, he does

not have the right then to make nominations from the

floor, unless the assembly by a majority vote authorizes such

nominations.

Impropriety of Making the Nominating Ballot the Elect-

ing Ballot.

Sometimes a motion is made to declare the

nominating ballot the electing ballot. Such action negates all

the advantages of a nominating ballot and is, in effect, the

same as having an electing ballot without any nominations.

If there is to be only one ballot, it should be the electing bal-

lot, with nominations from the floor, or by a nominating

committee and from the floor. A nominating ballot cannot

take the place of an electing ballot in an organization whose

bylaws require elections to be held by ballot.

It seems to me that this is unfair, and gives the incumbents a huge advantage.

I agree.

Change your rule.

Take the advice on page 423.

[Josh Martin]

Is there an online edition I can access?

No (not a current one, anyway).