Felt’s Parliamentary Procedure/Temporary Organization

by Orson B. Felt

Layout 2

TEMPORARY ORGANIZATION.

4. Wherever a number of persons are assembled for the transaction of business the first business necessary is to organize by providing suitable officers, so that the assembly may conduct its business with dignity, order and harmony. As there are so many kinds of societies, organized for a variety of purposes, it is impossible to give a rule for organization applicable to all cases. In determining the organization required, much depends upon the nature of the assembly. If the society be but a branch of a parent organization, the rules for the organization of such branches are usually set forth in the constitution or regulations, which form the fundamental or organic law of that order, and the society is necessarily governed by the constitution, by-laws and rules of said order. Therefore no rule for organization that be could be given here would be applicable in such cases, except the general parliamentary rules governing the action of ordinary assemblies.

5. If the assembly is a mass meeting, or a meeting of citizens called for some particular purpose, a simple or temporary organization is all that is necessary. Since such temporary assemblies are usually called together for some temporary purpose and their members are not responsible to a constituency and therefore need no credentials; they transact the business for which they have assembled, and then adjourn, to meet at some future time, or dissolve by adjournment without day. At such assemblies all who respond constitute the meeting, and shortly after the time set in the call for the meeting arrives, some person who has been instrumental in calling the meeting will rise, face the assembly, and say the meeting has been called, and either nominate some person present for chairman, or call for nominations for chairman.

6. While it is customary for some friend of the nominee to second the nomination, such a nomination does not require to be seconded, for the reason that it is the inseparable right of any member to nominate and to vote for one of his own choice, whether any one else coincides or not, and for the further reason that a nomination for office (unless by special rule of the assembly) is not an essential preliminary to voting, because it cannot control the right of voting for one not nominated, and for the further reason that a majority of the votes cast (unless there is a by-law, rule, or constitutional provision which provides otherwise) always elects, whether the person so elected has been nominated or not. A second, however, especially when done with a speech, is supposed to add force or weight, particularly in large assemblies. If the nomination is made in the form of a motion, for example, “I move that Mr. A. act as secretary,” said motion should be treated as a nomination only be the chair saying, “Mr. A. is nominated, Are there any other nominations?” Further nominations are not entitled to be first put to a vote, as in case of amendments.

7. A motion to close nominations is in order after every member who so desires has had an opportunity to make his nomination, but not until then. However, the closing of nominations, does not preclude voting for persons not nominated, and, moreover, it is in order at any time between ballots to move to reopen the nominations.

Let us suppose that Mr. A. has been nominated for chairman. The member calling the meeting to order will say, “Mr. A. has been nominated for chairman. Are there any other nominations?” (After a short pause for other nominations) he will say: “As many as are in favor of Mr. A. for chairman say Aye. Those opposed No. If the ayes be in majority he will declare Mr. A. elected, and invite him to the chair. If the noes are in the majority he will say, “The noes have it; there is no election. Nominations are again in order.”

8. If more than one name be placed in nomination the acting chairman should put the name he first hears, and if the vote be in the negative, the next name is proposed, and so on until a choice is effected.

After the chairman has been selected he takes the chair and proceeds to complete the organization by the election of a secretary and such other officers, if any, as are deemed necessary. These selections are usually made in the same manner as the chairman, except that after the chairman has been elected he has the power of recognition in deciding who has the floor; therefore, when a member desires to make a nomination, motion, or to offer any business he must first obtain the floor. (See section 23.)

In most cases this temporary organization is all that is necessary, and after it is effected the business for which the meeting has been called should be introduced by a resolution, or motion made by some member of the assembly.