3. Duties and responsibilities:
The Steele PTA is governed by a Board of Directors. The Board consists of the principal, 2 teacher representatives, 5 standing committee chairs (appointed by the president) and 5 elected officers (also known as the Executive Committee or ‘elected officers’) for a total of 13 members. Responsibilities of the elected officers/ Excecutive Committee may include attendance at leadership training meetings, workshops, and/ or the annual state PTA Convention. Specific duties are described are described in the Officers Description page.
4. Definition:
A nomination is “a proposal that a person serve as a member of a committee, delegate or an office.” (Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised). The purpose of the nominating committee is to recognize and seek qualified nominees for the elected leadership of the PTA.
DO’S AND DON’TS FOR NOMINATING COMMITTEES
· DO study carefully the qualifications of members before presenting the name as a nominee.
· DON’T submit a member’s name as a nominee because s/he is a friend of yours.
· DO check the membership list to be sure nominee is a member of the organization.
· DON’T nominate a person with the thought that it’s a good way to get him into membership.
· DO remember that committee DISCUSSION is left in the meeting room.
· DON’T repeat what was said in the committee meeting.
· DO see that the report of the Nominating Committee is publicized through the proper channels.
· DON’T report the results of the Nominating Committee until it has been publicized through the proper channels.
· DO sign the committee report if you agree with it.
· DON’T sign the report of the committee if you DO NOT agree with it.
5. Nomination Committee Election:
Nominating committee members should have a broad acquaintance with the membership and an understanding of the organization’s functions and its purpose. Members should give objective consideration to nominees and be able to use sound judgment and skill in evaluating nominees. Members must be tactful, discreet and act with integrity by keeping all deliberations confidential. Members must be fair and objective and concerned for the well-being and best interests of the PTA. The Steele PTA President is not allowed to serve as an ex-officio member of the Nominating Committee (Article VII — Duties of Officers. Section 1).
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From the Steele PTA Bylaws 2009-2012
Article VI — Officers and Their Election
*Section 6. Nominating committee — There shall be a nominating committee composed of at least three (3) members who shall be elected by the membership of this local PTA at least two (2) months prior to the election of officers, preferably at the first membership meeting of the year.
The committee shall:
a. elect a chair;
b. nominate one eligible person for each office to be filled and report its nominees at least thirty (30) days prior to the election. Additional nominations may be made from the floor at the election meeting; and
c. only those individuals who are current members of a local PTA and who have signified their consent to serve if elected shall be nominated for, or elected to, such office.
Standing Rules: following the meeting at which the nominating committee is elected, the committee members set a meeting date to start work.
6. Nomination Committee Work:
It is the responsibility of the nominating committee to recognize and seek qualified nominees for the elected leadership of the PTA. The nominating committee members need a broad acquaintance with the membership and an understanding of the organizations functions and its purpose.
Every effort should be made to provide the PTA with a slate of officers that is balanced in terms of new as well as experienced officers, represents the school attendance area, and reflects the diversity of the school population.
The nomination committee member should consult the PTA membership list to confirm eligibility and the contact each suggested nominee before meetings to obtain consent to be considered, and to serve if elected. Be sure the nominee understands the duties of the office and agrees to execute assignments if elected. Nominees should be given a clear indication of the responsibilities of the office and how much time may be involved. Give the member time to consider before making a decision. It is not advisable to talk a reluctant individual into accepting a nomination.
The committee is not obligated to nominate the president or any current officer eligible to serve a second term, or to nominate automatically the first vice president for president. Each nominee must be evaluated independently and by the same criteria as all other nominees. The committee is obliged to seek out those eligible members who would best serve in a particular office.
Members of the committee may be nominees without resigning from the committee. (If committee members are themselves considered, they should excuse themselves while their nomination is discussed and excuse themselves from a vote on the nominee for that position.)
Standing Rules: nominating committee will select a chair at the first meeting; set meeting dates (including deadline for member nominations); prepare submissions to the e-newsletter & web site; and formulate a Consent Statement.
7. Nomination Committee Meetings:
Qualifications of each suggested nominee should be carefully considered in meetings. Open and frank discussions must be held, but all discussion of nominees is confidential and voting is by ballot. If a nominee withdraws before the election is held, the committee meets and presents the name of another candidate.
Meeting Dates
· Thursday, December 10, 2009 at 3:30PM
· Thursday, January 14, 2010 at 3:30PM
· Thursday, January 21, 2009 at 3PM: deadline for nominations
· Thursday, February 4, 2009 at 3:30PM: final meeting (vote)
8. Nomination Committee Report:
We will make our report, via email, to Steele PTA members on February 7, 2010 before 5PM, which is 30 days before the election. The chair will read the nominating committee report at the election meeting, and give a signed version to the secretary. The committee’s work is completed and it is automatically discharged when all vacancies had been filled at the election meeting.
9. Steele PTA Officer’s Elections:
The election of Steele PTA officers will be on Tuesday, March 9, 2010 at 6:30PM and dues-paying members may vote. PTA membership is open at all times and people may join the PTA in order to vote.
The president calls upon the parliamentarian to read the sections of the by-laws pertaining to nominations and elections. When the parliamentarian is finished, the president calls upon the chair of the nominating committee to present its report. The president restates the slate and asks each one to stand. The president, even if he is being nominated for office, then conducts the election of officers.
The president presents each nominee individually for office and calls for nominations from the floor. Nominations does not need a second, and a member can be nominated for more than one office. If no additional nominations are made, election may be by voice vote. If additional nominations are made, elections must be by ballot.
It is permissible to use both vote and voice election by ballot in one election. The voice vote procedure can be used for uncontested offices and a ballot for those that have two or more nominees. When the vote is taken by ballot, a person can win as a write-in candidate without ever being nominated.
The secretary should have ballot slips available even if the nominating committee presents only one
name per office. If additional nominations are made from the floor, the president appoints a teller committee, consisting of a chair and at least two additional tellers, whose duties are to distribute ballot slips, collect, count and provide a written report on them. The report, signed by the tellers, must include number of votes cast, number required to elect, the amount received by each candidate and any illegal votes. The chair reads the report and then hands to the presiding officer. The president announces the results for each office.
SAMPLE TELLERS’S REPORT:
Number of votes cast for President: 118
Necessary to elect: 60
Marcy Bocoop received 74
Lacy Curtin received 40
2 ballots folded together – rejected
2 ballots for Clem Entine – ineligible
Signed: Wanda Dance, Shirley Weil, Mike Graphone
Please note:
· The complete teller’s report must be recorded in the minutes.
· All votes, including illegal ballots, must be reported. All illegal ballots are taken into account to determine the number required for a majority of ballots cast. Illegal ballots are:
-Two ballots folded together.
-A ballot containing the names of too many candidates.
-An unintelligible ballot (spelling). If the meaning is doubtful, and the ballot would not affect the results of the election, it should be ignored. If the ballot would affect the outcome, it should be shown to the chair who would ask the assembly for a ruling.
· If no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast for the office, there is no election and it will be necessary to re-ballot for the office.
· Elections may also be held after nominations for each office have been closed. This allows members who aren’t elected to one office to be nominated for others. Nominations for an office may be reopened by a motion to reopen nominations and a 2/3 vote.
· PTA Bylaws do not allow proxy votes or electronic votes.
WHAT TO SAY AND HOW TO SAY IT
(After the parliamentarian has read the portion of the bylaws pertaining to elections, the president calls upon the chair of the nominating committee to present the report of the committee. The president then restates the slate of nominees and asks each on to stand.)
President: ‘___________ has been nominated for ___________. Are there any further nominations for________________? ‘
Option 1: (After a reasonable pause). ‘Nominations for ___________are closed. The bylaws state that where there is but one nominee for an office, the ballot may be dispensed with and the election held by voice. Is there any objection to this procedure? Hearing none, the following are presented for election: ____ is nominated for ____. Those in favor say ‘aye.’ Those opposed, say ‘no.’ The ‘ayes’ have it and _________ is elected ______.’
Option 2: Member: (Rising) ‘Madame President, I nominate _________ for _____________.’
President: ‘________has been nominated. Are there any further nominations for _________?’ (pause)
After nominations have been closed, the presiding officers re-read the entire list of nominees, asking the candidates to stand as their names are read. This is usually followed by an announcement concerning arrangements and rules for the coming election. Nominations for an office may be reopened by a motion to reopen nominations and a 2/3 vote.
President: (after reading the number of votes received by each candidate): ‘______ having received a majority of the votes cast is elected ___________.’
Repeat for each office.
10. What happens after the election?
- After March meeting (April & May):
- president appoints standing committee chairs
o budget committee works on budget (with budget requests from chairs & committees)
o board works on calendar
o bylaws committee starts work to review/ amend bylaws (if necessary)
o bylaws committee post bylaws in April (30 days before May meeting)
o officer’s will attend relevant Colorado PTA training
- Membership meeting (May):
o annual committee reports submitted
o documentation handed over to new officers & chairs
o stipends reports submitted
o budget & calendar will be submitted for approval
o vote on bylaws (if necessary)
o file taxes with IRS
o submit membership dues before June 30
o end of fiscal year and terms of officers & chairs on June 30
o July 1 start of new terms
o audit review (within 30 days of June 30)
o submit annual audit, 990 tax form, insurance to COPTA
o Denver Council PTSA training FREE and open to any member
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