Voting in a church business meeting

[Salty]

Most business in a Baptist church meeting is routine. A simple vocal yea or nay is sufficient.

However, there times that a secret ballot should be utilized.

What would be the standard?
If one person requests a secret ballot, should that request be granted?

Thoughts

 

[Tom Butler]

The members should take a vote on whether the request will be granted.

 

[convicted1]

Actually, Brother Tom, I have heard rumors that you and Brother SN can't both vote at the same time. Apparently it has something to do with a canary and a parrot. I heard that if both of you are desirious of voting, they allow you two to "rock, paper, scissors" and the winner votes, and the loser doesn't.

 

[convicted1]

The only time in the ORBs that we have any type of secrot balloting is when the electing of officers for the next year. At my home church, we just get a motion and second to keep it the same. It's going pretty smooth, and no need to upset the applecart.

 

[Tom Bryant]

Most business in a Baptist church meeting is routine. A simple vocal yea or nay is sufficient.

However, there times that a secret ballot should be utilized.

What would be the standard?
If one person requests a secret ballot, should that request be granted?

Thoughts

We rarely do a secret ballot except when we vote to choose new deacons or on an issue that has caused some dissension. But if there is dissension within the church over an issue (this has happened 2 times in 15 years here), we usually table the motion until there is some kind of agreement. We are considering purchasing property, we will probably make that a secret ballot if it comes to a vote.

 

[Tom Butler]

Actually, Brother Tom, I have heard rumors that you and Brother SN can't both vote at the same time. Apparently it has something to do with a canary and a parrot. I heard that if both of you are desirious of voting, they allow you two to "rock, paper, scissors" and the winner votes, and the loser doesn't.

Rats, we've been found out! Actually, we arm-wrestle for the privilege of voting. I don't get to vote very much.

 

[Tom Butler]

Our church used the secret ballot to choose a pastor search committee.

And we've always used it to elect deacons.

 

[glazer1972]

It would really be up to the president/moderator of the meeting to decide how the vote is to be taken.

 

[preachinjesus]

Most business in a Baptist church meeting is routine. A simple vocal yea or nay is sufficient.

This is usually true.

However, there times that a secret ballot should be utilized.

What would be the standard?
If one person requests a secret ballot, should that request be granted?

Thoughts

Well, if we refer to the luminary insights of Roberts Rules of Order we see in the voting sections that:

1. The method of vote is usually determined by the moderator.

2. Unless the bylaws, constitution, or standing rules adopted by the body require a ballot vote (all ballot votes are, by nature, secret)

3. Or, if a recognized member of the body stands and calls the voice or hand vote in question by stating "Division" or calling for "a division of votes."

4. Then the moderator appoints at least two-tellers who distribute and then collect the ballots.

So, with that display of nerd bravado finished...I call for the second question on the previous amendment of the call of the house. :BangHead: :laugh:

 

[Jerome]

Salty, if a member requests a vote be done by ballot, it is up to the assembly, not the moderator, to decide.

http://www.rulesonline.com/rror-08.htm

Its special use is in the reception of members, elections, and trials of members and officers, as well as in the preliminary steps in both cases, and the by-laws should require the vote to be by ballot in such cases. Where the by-laws do not require the vote to be by ballot, it can be so ordered by a majority vote, or by general consent. Such motions are undebatable.

[The chair] cannot have the vote taken by ballot or by yeas and nays (roll call) unless it is required by the rules or by a vote of the assembly.

Also:

when the ballot is not unanimous it is out of order to move to make the vote unanimous, unless the motion is voted on by ballot so as to allow members to vote against it in secrecy.

 

[pk4life]

I would say use a secret ballot for everything.

My father would run the business meetings, and right before everyone voted vocally, he would say something to the effect of

"Isn't this great? We've never had anything voted down in the "x" years I've been here. I just love how together we all are."

Right after that, everyone would vote yay, nobody dared to vote nay, and whatever it was would go through just as he wanted.

All that togetherness in business meetings resulted in gossip and hard feelings afterward.

 

[Salty]

At our English Speaking church in Germany we had invited a missionary to speak at our church. He was a German born - naturalized American - and had come back as a missionary to the Germans.
We had considered supporting him under our missionary budget. In a business meeting a motion was made to that effect. The brand new pastor informed the congregation that this missionary did not use the King James Version. As we went to vote - I saw many people looking around to see how others were voting. How I wished we had a secret ballot for that vote.

Just to clarify - when the missionary preached a the church - he did not use the KJV- @ the time our church had no stand on the KJV.