I have a few different PTA bylaws to draw from but the basic principle is to follow the timeline in the bylaws.
Some of the bylaws state a nomination committee will be elected at a general meeting with an uneven number of three or greater, two months prior to the election. It is the job of the nominations committee to put out flyers, ask people in person and announce the openings. they then choose a nominee for each office and announce them one month prior to the elections. (Some of the bylaws have the nominees being announced the day/night of the elections but the other is favored by me because it limits a hostile takeover)
When they announce the nominees, other nominations may be made from the floor, again, one month prior. Everyone knows who is running and no one can do a sneak attack the night of the elections.
All our bylaws state that you must be present to vote but some have staggered the voting out throughout various meetings in the day to allow varied schedules to vote (just like regular voting).
If your bylaws do not prohibit voting by ballot and they do not state that members must be in attendance etc, then it would be more on the fair side to send a ballot to every member.

Our PTO sends home nomination ballots in the begining of April. People have about 2 weeks to make nominations. We then have a non board member whose job it is to phone those people to find out if they accept or decline to run for the position.

At the April meeting it is noted who is running for what position. Right before the May meeting a letter is sent home letting people know who was nominated and that voting will take place at the May monthly meeting. However, you must have paid the $5 PTO dues at the begining of the year in order to have the right to cast a vote.

I have to say though that I have yet to see a vote actually take place. For many years now people have taken their positons unopposed and this year is no different. This year we have an entire new board coming in unopossed.

I am trying to find out how other PTO's handle their elections. We nominate in April and vote in May. Past precedence has been that you have to show up at the general meeting to vote. This years board was asked back in March by the teachers to allow voting during the day (so they don't have to show up at the meeting in the evening) but the board didn't bring this up for discussion with the body in any of the following months. The body found out in a flyer a week before the elections that this would take place during three 45 minute periods during the school day. Any member can vote, but obviously if you are a working parent you still have to show up at the meeting to vote. They are also having voting during the meeting in the evening.

Our By Laws state "These officers shall be elected at a general meeting or by ballot prior to the end of each school term."

If they wanted to be fair, shouldn't they have sent a ballot to each member? One of our members talked to the board and they can't see how they are being unfair. All they keep saying is that they are doing better than last year's board.

My question is - how do other PTO's hold their elections? Thank you for your help!