I did not attend the SBC meeting in Houston and can only draw concludions from what others observed and from voting totals, but it seems clear that when the election of SBC 2nd Vice President was held at 8:25 am on Wednesday morning there was not a quorum present of 25% of the registered messengers.
The numbers voting seem to indicate this. There were 674 ballots cast. While no registration total was reported on Wednesday morning it would have been 5,103 or close to that number making the number of votes 13.2% of registration. Another six hundred non-voting messengers would have had to have been in the hall for there to be a quorum.
I have received private communications from folks who were present at the time that there is no way another 600 people were present and not voting. The vote total seems to indicate that. I've never known a case where only half of the messenger present chose to ballot a matter.
This is no big deal but it could be a big deal if we continue to have very low attendance at future annual meetings and attempt to elect officers or transact business in sessions where only a fraction of the registered messengers are present.
I merely suggest that in the future the moderator, parliamentarian pay closer attention to the matter of a quorum being present. We have adopted by-laws. Let's follow them or repeal or amend them. I would also suggest that some messenger, if business is about to be transacted without a quorum being present, challenge the matter from the floor and call for a determination of a quorum.
Sometimes strange things happen when most messengers are in the exhibit hall or coffee shop.
Humble advice from the hinterlands.
The numbers voting seem to indicate this. There were 674 ballots cast. While no registration total was reported on Wednesday morning it would have been 5,103 or close to that number making the number of votes 13.2% of registration. Another six hundred non-voting messengers would have had to have been in the hall for there to be a quorum.
I have received private communications from folks who were present at the time that there is no way another 600 people were present and not voting. The vote total seems to indicate that. I've never known a case where only half of the messenger present chose to ballot a matter.
This is no big deal but it could be a big deal if we continue to have very low attendance at future annual meetings and attempt to elect officers or transact business in sessions where only a fraction of the registered messengers are present.
I merely suggest that in the future the moderator, parliamentarian pay closer attention to the matter of a quorum being present. We have adopted by-laws. Let's follow them or repeal or amend them. I would also suggest that some messenger, if business is about to be transacted without a quorum being present, challenge the matter from the floor and call for a determination of a quorum.
Sometimes strange things happen when most messengers are in the exhibit hall or coffee shop.
Humble advice from the hinterlands.
2 comments:
It would also help to not have a vote for a SBC Officer at 8:35 Wednesday morning.
Late morning or afternoon would be best.
A number of messengers had not yet arrived at the convention the morning of the vote. I was one of the few messengers that did vote.
David R. Brumbelow
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