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Referendum Vote


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Does this means that all Board Members must vote in the affirmative for the action to pass?

The default vote for adopting a motion is a majority vote (i.e. the affirmative vote of more than half the members present and voting). Whether your "referendum vote" requires something more will be for your membership to figure out.

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My Organization By-law states that all actions of the Executive Committee must be approved by a referendum vote of the entire Board of Directors. Does this means that all Board Members must vote in the affirmative for the action to pass?

Interpretation of bylaws requires reading the exact wording of the bylaws in their entirety (a task beyond the scope of this forum), not by seeing a paraphrase of one sentence.

RONR says that the assembly itself is the final authority on the way ambiguities in the bylaws should be interpreted. (Well, it doesn't say exactly that, but you get the idea.)

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My Organization By-law states that all actions of the Executive Committee must be approved by a referendum vote of the entire Board of Directors.

Does this means that all Board Members must vote in the affirmative for the action to pass?

No.

It means that a referendum vote is necessary to pass.

Q. What is a referendum vote?

Q. Does anybody in your organization know what this term means?

The term is not taken from Robert's Rules of Order. So no answer will be forthcoming from RONR Tenth Edition 2000.

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My Organization By-law states that all actions of the Executive Committee must be approved by a referendum vote of the entire Board of Directors. Does this means that all Board Members must vote in the affirmative for the action to pass?

It probably means a "ratification" vote, but I'm not a betting man. One thing we know for sure is that it doesn't say that.

Consider revising your bylaws to say what they mean. (And put an English teacher on that committee.):)

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No.

It means that a referendum vote is necessary to pass.

Q. What is a referendum vote?

Q. Does anybody in your organization know what this term means?

The term is not taken from Robert's Rules of Order. So no answer will be forthcoming from RONR Tenth Edition 2000.

It probably means a "ratification" vote, but I'm not a betting man. One thing we know for sure is that it doesn't say that.

Consider revising your bylaws to say what they mean. (And put an English teacher on that committee.):)

Well, if the term "referendum" has its ordinary meaning the word is out of place in this context and the phrase is redundant. A referendum is a vote by an electorate. The term does not imply anything about the vote required for adoption.

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