Question: Elections- what if there is only one candidate?

We are in the process of nominations/elections. Four members were nominated for the position of President, one being the current Pres. The other three nominees declined to serve or run against the current president, because they all feel she is the best person for the job. But now the principal is saying another name needs to be added to the ballot to give the people a choice.)Less than 10% of our members participated in nominations, and so I feel those that didn't nominate made their choice. Our bylaws do not even come close to telling what to do in this situation. Advice please!

Asked by Anonymous

Answers:

Community Advice

schooldad writes:
It is a simple matter to elect an unopposed nominee. If you have one person running a simple show of hands will due if you have more than one person running for a board position then a paper ballot is required.I myself was elected President of our PTA unit and I was the only nominee as was the case for all of our board elect for next year and all but two of our board elect have served on the executive board in the current session. Unless there is some dysfunction in the board just be glad there are competent people willing to serve. I am assuming your board elect will hold a strategy meeting to go over goals for next year before the end of this school year and if this is the case you can propose the board address some of your concerns next year. Regards Geoff

Advice from PTO Today

Craig writes:
That's a dilemma. You can't exactly put someone on the ballot who doesn't want to run. You might tell your principal that you'll open the floor to nominations on election night -- that way anyone who wants to run can. But beyond that, I think you've done your best by talking to three possible candidates who refused you. As schooldad notes below, there's nothing in a technical sense that requires you to have more than one person running for a specific office -- no matter how much the principal wants competition for your current president.