Question: Bylaws-Nominees

In our bylaws, it states that there are four positions available in our PTO. President, vice president, treasurer, secretary. We have two qualified people that would like to go in as co-vice presidents. Is this allowed since our bylaws state Vice President in singular, not multiple Vice Presidents?

Asked by ksturgeonpto

Answers:

Advice from PTO Today

lharac writes:
Hi, ksturgeonpto -- Technically speaking, your bylaws should explicitly allow for co- positions. It can be as simple as adding a line like "Officer positions may be shared" after your four roles are listed out. Some might argue that if your bylaws don't explicitly *prohibit* shared positions, it's OK to allow these two worthy individuals to serve as co-vice presidents, but you may be opening your group to drama down the road. It's better for your group's long-term success and good reputation to follow the bylaws as written, without extra interpretation. The key is to incorporate some flexibility so that your group has options. Our article "How Good Are Your Bylaws?" offers good advice about how to use your bylaws, why to update them, and some specific situations that should be addressed (such as co-officers).