Page:Pocket Manual of Rules of Order for Deliberative Assemblies (1876).djvu/128

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ORGANIZATION.
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which the assembly may adopt, or reject, or postpone, etc. Only members whose right to their seats is undisputed, can vote.

The chairman, after the question of credentials is disposed of, at least for the time, announces that “The next business in order is the election of permanent officers of the assembly.” Some one then moves the appointment of a committee to nominate the officers, in a form similar to this: “I move that a committee of three be appointed by the Chair to nominate the permanent officers of this convention.” This motion is treated as already explained. When the committee make their report, some one moves “that the report of the committee be accepted, and that the officers nominated be declared the officers of this convention.”[1] This motion being carried, the Chairman declares the officers elected, and instantly calls the new presiding officer to the


  1. Where there is any competition for the offices, it is better that they be elected by ballot. In this case, when the nominating committee report, a motion can be made as follows: ‘‘I move that the convention now proceed to ballot for its permanent officers;’’ or, ‘‘I move that we now proceed to the election, by ballot, of the permanent officers of this convention.” (See § 38 for balloting, and other methods of voting.] The constitutions of permanent societies usually provide that the officers shall be elected by ballot.