Question: What if there's no candidates for a new executive board?

Our elections are a little more than a month away and no one has shown interest in being on the board next year! What happens if no one comes forward? Do we stay in our current position and keep going as is and keep trying to recruit new officers? I've been president for two years and was hoping to retire, but what happens if no one comes forward? Our bylaws only state a person can't do the same position for more than two years, but it doesn't mention what to do if no one runs to replace me. What do we do? Confused????

Asked by Anonymous

Answers:

Advice from PTO Today

Craig writes:
The bylaw I recommend for term limits is "a maximum of x years, unless there are no other candidates." You might want to add that to your bylaws. You'll have the most success in finding new officers if you can show them they will have the support and resources they need to do the job effectively. Create binders for each position with key information people will need to do the job. Set up a formal training system so prospective new officers can work with current officers. You might consider co-presidents if it will help make people more comfortable. If your board does end up signing on for another year, target possible replacements early and work to get them comfortable with taking on more responsibility. More lead time means a better opportunity to show people what the jobs are all about. No matter how much you tell someone they can do the job, people are much more likely to be convinced if they have a personal knowledge of what's involved.

Community Advice

jonesjen1970 writes:
I had something to ask in follow up to the above inquiry. we have one person who is creating any problems she can b/c she got asked to leave PTA,.We have no one who sent back the form saying they are interested in being on the board. I thought we all stayed the same. She insist we now have to wait until next year to vote at a general membership meeting. But we never have but 4-5 people come to the meetings!!! So what do I do b/c there is a lot that can be started in summer to get a jump start on the new year??

Advice from PTO Today

Craig writes:
Unless you have no candidates for any office, I don't think you should postpone elections. If school is still in session but you don't have any more scheduled meetings, call a special meeting for elections. Just make sure you get notices out in advance. If you only have four or five regulars, finding a date that works shouldn't be a big problem. Elect whatever new officers you can now and hold elections to fill the empty seats in the fall (preferably at your first meeting). Chances are you'll find people to take the jobs by asking them personally. When you find people who are willing, they can step in and help plan over the summer, then officially take office at the first meeting.

Community Advice

jonesjen1970 writes:
Craig, our bylaws were written years age by the same person that I spoke about causing all the problem. She basically got mad bc new faces came in and wanted to get involved, but she was use to running it alone! So she slowlybecame les and less Involved until she resigned in early part of the year. But in our bylaws it sats a quorum of 25. We never have more than ten people and that includes pres, principle, and a few of the board members. That's why we want to elect new board bc we finally have people saying they want to be involved. So no one has come forward for the positions and the existing board doesn't want to continue. I have a few new folks in mind, that I am sure would do It if I asked. We have three weeks left of school no meetings planned. This particular person who's creating problems says I csn do anything until next year? I am president aNd I said I would do it one mire year. so cani still call the board meeting and elect board members or appoint members until the first meeting next year?

Advice from PTO Today

Craig writes:
You can definitely hold meetings and invite whoever you want. In other words, hold planning meetings over the summer with your prospective officers and do your usual work. Hold elections at the first event of the year where a lot of parents will be present -- open house, family night, etc. Make the business quick, but vote on changing the quorum and elect the officers. If there's an event before the end of the year where you can do this, all the better. Question for you: Were the bylaws every voted on and approved in the first place? I can't understand why others (besides the president) would vote on a quorum of 25 when you never get that many people at a meeting. What I'm thinking is that if they were just written and not voted on, they aren't currently valid and you can change the number easily. By the way, if you didn't have someone causing trouble, I would recommend simply changing the quorum number to something that fits your group and adopting it at a meeting -- even if you don't have 25 people present. It's a change that is crucial for the group and doesn't hurt anyone.

Community Advice

J President writes:
We solved our problem by explaining to the current board that no one can run for a position for more than two years, but if no one runs against them then they could stay in their current position if they choose to. We re-examine our bylaws whenever a new president comes in. The board reviews them at a board meeting and makes necessary changes. Then at the first meeting of the school year we have copies available for members who attend and review any changes. The membership there that night approves the changes. We changed our quorum to five two years ago for the basic reason that about five members come to the meetings only and if we left it at the old amount nothing would get done. We have sent out fliers with election and position info, talked to the principal to help recruit, and talked to teachers. If no one comes forward for president I will stay in and keep working and recruiting. My level of involvement will lessen, but the alternative is to close it down and that would be sad! Thanks PTO for your help!

Community Advice

jonesjen1970 writes:
i AM GOING TO EXPLAIN THIS IN AS SHORT OF A TEXT AS i CAN. i CAME INTO THIS PTA LAST YEAR BC THEY ASKED ME TO. the OLD PRESIDENT HAD BEEN AT OUR SCHOOL FOR AT LEAST TEN YEARS. she DOESNT EVEN HAVE CHILDREN THERE..BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT,WAS CALLED OUR FIRST MEETING. i DIDNT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HOW TO RUN A PTA, i WISH i WOULD OF KNOWN BUT AT LEAST i KNOW NOW. this PERSON HAS SINCE RESIGNED FROM THE PTA, AND NO LONGER HAS ANYTHING TO DO TWITH IT. (OR SUPPOSED TO NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT). EVERY THING I ASK THE PRINCIPLE HE SAIS LETS ASK HER HOW SHE DID THINGS.... WELL SHE HAD THE BY LAWS DRAWN UP SEVERAL YEARS AGO AT 25 PEOPLE FOR A QUORUM. WHAT I KNOW NOW IS THAT SHE HAD IT SET THAT HIGH SO THAT NO ONE COULD CHANGE ANYTHING FROM HOW SHE WANTED IT DONE. WE NEVER WOULD HAVE 25 PEOPLE THERE. WE ARE LUCKY TO HAVE FIVE! SO SINCE HER RESIGNATION IN JANUARY, EVERYTHING I MENTION AT THE SCHOOL TO DO, SHE SAIS YOU GOTTA VOTE ON THAT! WELL NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE BECASUE WE CAN NOT VOTE WITH OUT THE 25 PEOPLE!!! SO NOW ITS TIME FOR ELECTIONS AND I SENT HOME THE FORM ASKING FOR HELP OR NOMINATIONS, GOT NOTHING BACK. i HAVE A FEW PEOPLE THAT I HAVE MET THIS YEAR THAT WILL SERVE ON THE BOARD. BUT I AM TOLD I CAN NOT APPOINT THEM AND THAT THEY HAVE TO BE VOTED ON, BUT THERE IS NOT TIME FOR A MEETING AND WE WOULDN'T HAVE 25 PEOPLE ANYWAY. SO WHAT I THINK YOU ARE SAYING IS FOR ME TO CALL A BOARD MEETING. PRESENT THESE FEW PEOPLE I THINK WOULD BE GOOD AT THE JOB , TO THE BOARD. THEN APPOINT THEM AND AT THE FIRST MEETING OF THE NEW YEAR, HAVE THE GENERAL MEMBERSHIP (AT BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT) FORMALLY ELECT THEM. DOES THAT MEAN I BASICALLY JUST STAND AND ASK IF ANYONE HAS OBJECTIONS TO THIS PERSON AND SO ON, BUT MY QUESTION IS. WHAT IF ONE OF THESE PEOPLE DOES PTA WORK OVER THE SUMMER AND THEN SOMEONE COMES UP AT THE MEETING IN AUGUST AND SAID "NO "THEY DO NOT WANT THEM TO BE ON THE BOARD. WHICH I AM SURE WOULD NOT HAPPEN BUT WHAT IF. ALSO I NEVER KNEW THAT I COULD HAVE THE BYLAWS LOOKED AT AND CHANGED. I KNEW THEY NEEDED TO BE CHANGED BUT I DIDNT KNOW I COULD DO THAT. WHEN I MEET WITH THE BOARD NEXT WEEK, CAN I HAVE SOME CHANGES WRITTEN OUT? THINGS LIKE THE QUORUM NUMBER? I THINK IF I PRESENT IT TO THEM THAT WE CAN NOT GET ANYTHING DONE UNLESS WE LOWER THE NUMBER... BUT AM I ALLOWED TO DO THIS? THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP. I AM TRYING TO MAKE THIS BETTER FOR OUR KIDS. IT IS JUST SO HARD!!!

Community Advice

bandit10 writes:
We have had a really sticky situation come up , our president resigned at the beginning of school ( this was first year in the seat, only 2 months) . she now thinks that she should be able to run again for the seat of president this year. can she leagally do this ? is there any nice way to stop her if she can, i have a problem with this how can she be trusted not to resign when things get crazy again!

Advice from PTO Today

Craig writes:
She can run, but it would be worth talking to her about your concerns. Is there likely to be another candidate? It might be easiest to tell her that you and other board members are throwing your support behind someone else and you feel another job with less commitment would be better for her, considering what happened last year. It's probably best to approach this in a businesslike way and keep it from getting emotional as much as possible. Suggesting another important job that requires less year-long commitment might help. (Chairing a key committee, for example.)

Community Advice

Real mom writes:
We have PTO officer at Rockdale county school who have never been voted in. They only had one person who was elected as president of the PTO but stped down because her great idea's were being votined against. The other day our bulls ten came in and they have a few positions on PTO opened. But the president position and treasure position is not. The main two who was never voted in. They also changed the way our school can vote. What. An we do??