Hi everyone! This is my first year with the PTO. I have a question about elections. We have a very small organization and our Vice President has held her position for 5yrs. She has only been to one meeting this year and I understand past years have been the same. We have very few members because she must be at the top of every event, running the show, and does not seem to let anyone in. As I mentioned before she has been VP for5yrs.(no one to run aginst her), I understand terms are 2yrs. At election time will she just slide back into VP or does she have to be re-elected?
Thanks for your time, ImTam
Our last meeting is in May. Usually at the March meeting, we start talking about running for a board position. We have a job description list for anyone who's interested. Anyone can be nominated or choose to run. If nominated, the person is notified before being placed on the ballot. We have to notify our current president in writing or via e-mail the position we desire and answer a few questions such as why we want the position and why we would be good at it. We create a list of all who are running for each position (seems it's usually not more than 2-3 people) and in the first week in May, we have a list at each school. The parents come in any time between 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and vote. They have to sign a paper beside their child's name and can only vote once if they have a child at both schools. There are instances of only one person running for a position and we count those votes also. I guess we don't assume that we get the position even if we are the only one running for it!
What was the"bully" running for anyway, was it an important position? Does this person have an affiliation or are they an employee of the school or district, just out of curiosity? It's hard to believe one person could be so intimidating!
If no one is running against anyone for the position you can vote by acclamation, regardless of whatever super secret set of rules, DNA scanning, or hanging chads are required by your by-laws. In the event that you do have a contested race, you should always issue ballots and the person in charge of the nominating committee and another designee should count the ballots and make a report to the group. It's fair, there is no intimidation factor and it you can get on with life when it's all said and done.
Good luck!
You can't pick and choose who runs for a board position!!! Regardless of fears. Read your bylaws and embrace your volunteers...all of them good and bad!!! Find a way to work together and tell your 20 concerned parents and teachers that you are the President and it is your job to keep the peace not divide the whole organization.
Sounds like just a volunteer needs "just to get a life", this is not highschool, it is PTO, what is best for the school, if people are so afraid of this person, they should just keep their hands down....what will this person do, beat them up!!!! Sounds very over the top, maybe there is really just one person who is so intimidated. What will be will be! Let go, or run against this person yourself!
