it's funny that you mentioned coup..The old board was a clique in every sense of the word. the nominating committee two yrs ago did hteir job and recommended people who had the interest, desite, training to take the postions. This required not recommending people who were serving in their 1st terms in their slots. Those people were unfriendly andd unapproachable. They even had the nerve to sya they hated their PTA jobs. So they were not renominated. They found out and they slanted the election meeting so they were relected. Boy did that kill the perception of the PTA for that year and the PTA president's image-She masterminded the whole thing. When they left people finally smiled and came bak. We were elected the ones who want EVERYONE to participate and our membership increased and attendance mtgs increased from day 1..
the basic line was that the president is not suppose to be part of the nominating commiteee- he/she is not suppose to influence this committee- or to get a gruop together to slant an election. He/she is suppose to remain neutral and vote the way he/she wants without causing interference.
Just a quick response to SusieQ04, our nominating committee is five members. However, two are selected by the board from their membership; the other three are selected at a general unit meeting from the membership at large.
It is not uncommon for all five to actually be board members. However, it is important to us that a majority be elected from the membership at large. This way, if there is a problem with the established leadership, there exist ways to break their stranglehold on power.
Granted, if the Outs take over the nominating committee, the Ins can still be nominated from the floor. If you were plotting a coup you would be better advised to pack the officer election meeting, not the nominating committee election.
Read your by laws on how many people are required to be on your noinating committee--Hint- it should be a odd # so in case the nominating committee is deciding on 2 people to recommand for 1 position there is no chance for a tie (a nominating committee does not need a unanimous vote just a majority vote to recommand a person to a certain slot)..usually the majority of the members of the nominating commitee are from your executive board. then the rest are from your general membership. (note execuitve officers cannot be nominated in a general slot on the nominating commitee)..If there are more candidates then are required you go to a ballot vote. Everyone including president gets a vote. (be sure to get at least 2-3 tellers before you start the process of asking for nominations for the nominating committee from the floor- This way you can avoid anyone questioning that you chose so and so's best friend to be counter and she won..I usually pick three tellers. 1 from administration(principal), 1 from Executive Board, and 1 from general membership...
Yes a person can nominate themselves to the nominating commitee- something we say right out there so they know it--No they do not have to a member of your PTO/PTA (robert's Rules) to be on the nominating commitee-but why would you want someone who doesn't know the players or organization recommending people to the positions..But if the non member of the nominating committee is recommended for a position they must become a member before they can accept the nomiantion for an Officer's posiiton.
Since you are worried about not getting enough people i would go for 5 people(3 from Executive board and 2 from General)..Or 7 (4 or 5 from Executive Board and 3 or 2 from General). My PTa has 7 (5 from Executive and 2 from general) and we have never had a problem filling these slots..When we begin the nominations for the nominating commitee and no one raises there hand to start it- We advise them that we cannot go on until this is completed so the longer it takes the longer we are here for the night. usually we advise the executive Board to get the ball rolling by nominating someone from general membership who is an active volunteer.
Hope this helps..
my school ptg is re-writing our bylaws. some parents are concerned that we will not get enough volunteers to run the nominating committee. what are our other alternatives to elect officers for the ptg board? can you self nominate? what if there are more than two people for the same position? do you vote by ballot at the ptg general meeting?
