Membership in more than one chapter of a state organization

[Guest Howard C.]

Our State organization is comprised of multiple local chapters. Neither our state constitution nor our bylaws state a person can or can not be a member of more than one chapter. Can the same person belong to more than one chapter if they pay the dues to each chapter? Can the person hold office in both chapters? If the person holds the chapter representative position in multiple chapters, does the person have more than one vote on the state board? Our constitution states RONR will decide when the issue is not contained therein.

Howard C.

[hmtcastle]

Can the same person belong to more than one chapter if they pay the dues to each chapter? Can the person hold office in both chapters? If the person holds the chapter representative position in multiple chapters, does the person have more than one vote on the state board?

I'm afraid RONR has nothing to say about your state organization or your chapters. Frankly, it would be remarkable if it did.

And while a fundamental principle of parliamentary law is "one man, one vote", if you represent two distinct constituencies, it's quite possible that you get to cast one vote for each of them.

[David A Foulkes]

Nothing in RONR would suggest the answer to your first two questions is no. If the bylaws (or other governing documents) don't preclude it, then it would seem to be okay. You'd really want to check all the rule books (bylaws, constitution, etc) for all the chapters, as well as the State, for any regulations preventing it.

Per RONR, "one man one vote." Your rules may vary.

Stay tuned for more replies.

[Kim Goldsworthy]

Our State organization is comprised of multiple local chapters.

Neither our state constitution nor our bylaws state a person can or can not be a member of more than one chapter.

Q1. Can the same person belong to more than one chapter if they pay the dues to each chapter?

Q2. Can the person hold office in both chapters?

Q3. If the person holds the chapter representative position in multiple chapters, does the person have more than one vote on the state board?

A1. Are you asking a question about Robert's Rules Order?

The answer is "yes."

There is no rule within RONR restricting ANYONE from joining as many organizations, and as many chapters, as he can.

Are you asking a question about your State bylaws, or your National bylaws?

The answer is "unknown," since only a reader of both documents will be able to answer such a question.

A2. Per RONR (10th ed.)? -- Yes. No limit.

Per your state bylaws or national bylaws? -- Unknown.

A3. Unknown.

You are asking a question about your State organization (viz., the definition of your State board, and the unique relationship between the geographic subdivisions and your State board).

It is possible that your customized rules do indeed give more than one vote to a person who represents multiple geographic subdivisions.

Under RONR (10th d.), there is no circumstance where ANYONE may vote more than once.

If a person where to satisfy every possible method of "joining an organization", or "getting assigned to a given committee," that person would still have only one vote, despite all the ways he got qualified to sit as true, good-standing, member.

So, the answer to your question is "no" if RONR applies, and if there is no confounding rule otherwise.

Thus, only a customized rule, like your state bylaws or national bylaws, can give anyone more than one vote.