The business portion of the annual meeting includes all matters
that the bylaws specify must be voted upon by members. It covers
the election of directors, any changes in articles of
incorporation, bylaws, or marketing agreements, and acceptance of
reports. Also, it includes balloting on any policy matters that
directors may place before the members.
The procedure for amending the association's papers is set forth in
the bylaws and requires advance notice and other legal
requirements.
The procedure for nominating directors is usually defined in the
bylaws. If not, it should be determined by the directors when
planning the meeting. In general, election of directors includes
nominating and voting. As in other association affairs, however, a
period of discussion may be introduced to encourage members to
think in terms of "the best person for directing the affairs of our
business" rather than in terms of "which of my friends would I like
to see elected."
If nominations are made by a nominating committee, the board
should appoint the committee far enough in advance of the meeting
to give time for the careful and wise selection of nominees, with
due consideration for geographic representation. A nomination
committee handbook that defines director qualifications, duties,
and responsibilities of directors and the election process, would
be of value to the committee.
Advantages of a nominating committee are that the members have time
to seek out qualified candidates and the committee can ascertain in
advance the candidate's willingness to serve.
One problem of a nominating committee is the possible charge that
the election is being "railroaded." There is less basis for such a
complaint if the nominating committee is broadly representative of
the membership and if it presents at least two strong candidates
for each vacancy. Members find little interest in an election that
is uncontested.
To avoid the feeling that elections are manipulated, nominations
additional to those of the nominating committee must be called for
and sufficient time allowed to receive them.
In some local associations, all nominations are made either by
written ballot or orally from the floor. The danger in relying
entirely on these methods is that the best candidates may be
overlooked.
Even the process of voting calls for planning. In most
associations, voting is by written ballot. This frees members from
outside influence or embarrassment.
Generally, it is best to have ballots printed in advance. They
should show the nominees' names and provide space for possible
write-ins. Ballots may be accompanied by short statements about
each candidate. A good idea is to publish the names, photographs,
and qualifications of the candidates in the membership publication
preceding the annual meeting. Just before the balloting, each
candidate should be introduced and allowed to make brief
comments.
A tellers' committee can distribute and count the ballots. It
should see that voting is conducted in accordance with the
bylaws.
As soon as the counting is completed, the presiding officer
announces the results. This may be followed near the end of the
meeting by a short installation service and brief remarks from each
of the new directors. Retiring directors and the losing nominees
deserve an expression of appreciation. Also, the association
secretary should preserve the ballots for a reason- able
period.
Voting on resolutions and organizational amendments should have
a definite place on the agenda. Usually, any proposed amendments
will be initiated by the board of directors. Prior publication of
the exact wording, together with reasons for the proposed changes,
enables members to vote intelligently and quickly.
If the voting is handled in an orderly and parliamentary manner,
the time allotted to proposed resolutions need not be long.
Appointment of a resolutions committee paves the way for careful
consideration and wording of all resolutions. The committee can
help screen out trivial or ill-advised items.