Election of Board Members
Choosing board members is an essential method to expand an organization and ensure it has the capacity to lead and succeed. Establishing a procedure for nominations and elections helps to avoid issues and maintains a strict adherence to the bylaws. When the chairperson or president selects new members, the process bypasses careful vetting and can cause dissension among the other members who were selected by committee.
It is important that the committee thoroughly reviews the membership list and determines candidates who are a good fit for your needs. The committee should discuss and compare notes on candidates. If the committee can’t find any candidates for a particular post, it’s best to leave that seat open and allow members to nominate their own names.
Once the committee has a complete list of candidates, they will be able to organize an election. The most commonly used method to elect candidates is through a voice vote. The chair will require a yes/no vote on each candidate in order. The first person to win an overwhelming majority of the votes wins.
Other methods of electing members of the board include voting by writing, roll call and a cumulative vote. No matter the method used it is essential that the votes are correctly counted. If a member is concerned that the vote counters aren’t following the proper procedures or there is a mishap in counting votes, they must raise their hand and inform the presiding officer of their concerns.