Last month, I conducted the election procedure for a small not-for-profit I’m involved with. I’m not a registered parliamentarian, but do have considerable experience in the processes and procedures of association elections.
I will offer some general comments about my approach, but I note that this link provides some very thorough guidance for not-for-profit board decisions https://orghub.ca/resources/blogs/nonprofit-board-voting-procedures
The Core - Parliamentary Procedure & Respect for Members
Twenty years ago, the Toastmasters club I regularly attend would
practice parliamentary procedure. We’d
often have a frivolous motion we would debate, often amend, and pretty well
always vote down, as most of these frivolous motions were beyond our control.
The practice gave us
experience in creating clarity, and making decisions as a group. The exercises
were worthwhile because, for people voting on a decision, clarity on the decision
needs to be very clear, be debated if necessary, and then decided by an
assembly that is authorized to make such a decision.
Early on, I
hated the formality and process of parliamentary procedure and these practice
sessions at Toastmasters, but I grew to respect and enjoy the processes, along
with the intention and principles.
Key
Principles of Parliamentary Procedure
Two key
principles of parliamentary procedure are;
1 One thing at a time
2 The minority has a right to be heard,
and the majority has the right to decide
We would all
enjoy our work and volunteer commitments moreso if our organizations focused on
one thing at a time, and the minority was heard and respected.
Elections
I will offer
my approach for managing elections of board members for a not-for-profit.
Further, here
is an additional guide that can be helpful in managing an election.
https://content.civicplus.com/api/assets/bd4973f7-f75e-4d88-bd40-aa5d3e768d82?cache=1800
My Approach
1. It is important for anyone conducting
an election procedure to review the organization’s bylaws, which usually specify
how to achieve quorum and conduct a vote.
2. Quorum defines what percentage of the
eligible voters must be initially present to enable a valid vote and
decision. (It is also valuable to acquire information on recent election practices
from experienced members. There may have been any issues in the past, and in
some cases, leaders are unfamiliar with their own bylaws.)
3. In most organizations I’ve been
involved with, a nomination committee has been in place. Such a committee can
announce position availabilities well in advance of an election date, and then discuss
opportunities with prospects who are interested, conduct interviews, and
ultimately present a slate for consideration. In the recent elections I
conducted, a nomination committee was in place, and presented the proposed
slate to the assembly as the election procedure began.
4. Reports from an appointed committee,
like a nomination committee, do not require a motion.
5. Before the election begins, it is
important to ensure a quorum of voters is present, that is, is there a
sufficient quantity of eligible voters present to make the upcoming decision. Quorum is usually determined by a recording
secretary, who will also formally record and share results. In many cases, a
quorum is 50% of the eligible voters, often simply the paid members. In some
organizations, proxies and absentee ballots are permitted.
6. In conducting the elections, my
practice is to preview to attendees the event as it will unfold, entertain any
questions, and work to ensure the voters feel informed and respected during the
process.
7. The simple process is
a. Have the nomination chair present the
nomination report
b. Call for nominations from the
floor. This is often done three times,
and while not required in authorities such as Robert’s Rule, it is respectful
to the voting membership.
c. The CivicPlus link provides guidance
for situations when floor nominations are received. In my experience, nominations from the floor
are rare, and when none are received, nominations can be announced as closed. Done.
d. Once the nominations are closed and
there are no contested positions, the chair can request that the organization
record and document that the candidates nominated are elected to office
effective on the start date. My practice is to ask a recording secretary to
document that one vote has been received for the nominated slate. Having a
record of the election is usually important for external business, such as
managing bank accounts.
A Deeper
Exploration of Elections
Here is a deeper dive into election procedures https://michaelmouritsen.ca/blog-1/f/questions-about-nominations
Conclusion
Parliamentary
procedure is valuable in conducting elections as it enables a professional
approach to decisions, group participation, and ultimately respects the right
of the assembly to choose.
