CrewChief stated it very well. The only question that was unanswered is what happens if Mrs. Jones loses the election for Pres. - is she able to add her name to the slate for VP or Secretary? and potentially bumping those people off.

That is pretty much how our Nominationg Committee is supposed to work. People interested in running for office let them know and teh NC determines who is eligible. The slate (meaning all eligible persons for each position) is presented and if there is more than one person a secret ballot is taken.

Frankly, I am amazed that you have some many contested positions. Our NC normally has to do as much recruiting and cajoling as vetting.

I agree with Crewchiefs definitions. You "consolidate" by first verifying they can actually run. Our bylaws state they must be members (dues up to date). Then asking them if they want to run. Let them know they will be in a run-off. I've had people drop out just for this reason. And let them know if there are any other open positions. Perhaps they just want to be a part of the board, period.

The "slate" part is just a listing of all candidates running.

Good Luck!

I have never liked the idea of a nominating committee weeding down the nominations to those they want to place on a slate. I think anyone who wants to be an Officer should be given the chance and a silent ballot/vote taken. Hopefully the "loser" will still realize they can contribute without a title and in the long run everyone will work together.

LBSchwam - Don't be nervous. Hopefully your "warring factions" can find a way to campaign responsibly on a platform that has the best interest of the students in mind. Regarding your two points:

1. If your bylaws define teachers as members then they have every right to run for an officer position. Your board is right to demand an election. If you have time, you might even consider hosting a Meet the Candidates night.

(btw - Don't be worried about having teachers on your board. We have two and they're a wonderful asset to the team. They bring a classroom perspective that parents just don't get to see!)

2. Consolidation - our bylaws have no such wording. If I had to guess, I'd say it's the Nominations Committee's job to determine the eligibility of each nominee as outlined in your bylaws.

Slate - the Slate of Candidates is merely the list of eligible nominees running for each position. The Nominations Committee should present them in writing as such:

President:
Mrs. Smith
Mrs. Jones
Mr. White
Ms. Black

Vice President:
Mrs. Doe
Mr. Johnson

Secretary:
Dr. Miller
Mr. Dole

Treasurer:
Ms. (I'm running out of generic last names, but you get the idea....)

On the ballot, the members should be asked to select one name from each list. Majority wins.

It sounds like you're trying very hard to make everyone happy and your concern is commendable. But strict adherence to your bylaws, especially where elections are concerned, is your best bet.

Hi,

1. A teacher at our school has been nominated to serve as President of the Board. In the Bylaws, the general membership is defined as including all parents, guardians and teachers. There are also four parents who want the job, as well. Any thoughts? Our Board members are demanding that all of the candidates for president be forced run against each other in a contested election (even though the Bylaws call for the nominating committee to provide a "slate" of candidates to the parents).

I am horrified at the thought of parents running against a teacher. The implications are many and the potential for divisiveness great (let's say the teacher loses to a parent with a kid in the teacher's class? Let's say a parent with a kid in the teacher's class loses to the teacher? The teacher, then becomes the parents' representative to the administration (the teacher's BOSS [the Principal]). I think there's the potential for HUGE conflict of interest issues.

2. Our school's Bylaws call for the Nominating Committee to solicit and consolidate nominations, and then submit a slate of candidates to the parents to vote on. There's some disagreement on the meaning of "consolidation" and "slate." For instance, does "consolidation" mean reducing the number of candidates for any single position to the number required by the Bylaws BEFORE presenting the slate to the parents? (There are four parents who have been nominated to serve as President, for instance). Then, we're having some disgareements over the word "slate." Parents are supposed to vote on the "slate of candidates submitted by the nominating committee." Does that mean parents may not run against each other, and that parents vote on a unified "slate" or block of candidates as chosen by the Nominating Committee?

I have suggested offering different positions to, say, the extra parents who want to serve as President. Is this reasonable? We can't have 5 presidents, according to the Bylaws, just one (though co-presidents would probably go a long way toward assuaging the fears of what has become two warring factions in this process).

Thanks, once again, for any advice you can give.