Democratic Underground Latest Greatest Lobby Journals Search Options Help Login
Google

Parliamentary Procedure: Abstentions

Printer-friendly format Printer-friendly format
Printer-friendly format Email this thread to a friend
Printer-friendly format Bookmark this thread
This topic is archived.
Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (Through 2005) Donate to DU
 
SeanOhio Donating Member (274 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-06-05 12:24 PM
Original message
Parliamentary Procedure: Abstentions
I'm wondering if any parliamentary procedure gurus--or anyone, for that matter--can help me resolve something regarding abstaining from voting.

Consider this: There are 60 eligible voters in a club. All 60 are present, and all will cast a vote. They are electing a president--one person gets one vote, with a majority needed to win (not a plurality). There are 2 candidates.

Of the 60 voters, 20 abstain, leaving 40 people to vote for or against.

Question 1) If 20 abstain, then does the majority remain at 31 votes, or does it change to 21 votes?

Question 2) If 30 people abstained, no majority could be reached. What happens in this scenario? A constitutional crisis?

Just curious...
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
Canuckistanian Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-06-05 01:05 PM
Response to Original message
1. I think it goes by the majority of those who actually voted.
Since there is a quorum, the vote is counted among those who participate.

If I remember my Robert's Rules. I may be wrong.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
PDJane Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Tue Dec-06-05 01:12 PM
Response to Original message
2. suggest purchase
of a wonderful book called "Robert's Rules of Order." That, along with a copy of "Fowler's Guide to English Usage", the Oxford Dictionary, the Webster's Dictionary, a Thesaurus and a copy of your particular country's style handbook, usually published by the State Department or Secretary of State, are a bare minimum for reference manuals.

Abstentions do not make any difference in the quorum, or in the number of votes needed for passage. The Abstentions are noted as a portion of the vote, i.e., for, against, abstentions.

Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
DU AdBot (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view 
this author's profile Click to add 
this author to your buddy list Click to add 
this author to your Ignore list Tue Apr 30th 2024, 11:23 AM
Response to Original message
Advertisements [?]
 Top

Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (Through 2005) Donate to DU

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators


Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.

Home  |  Discussion Forums  |  Journals |  Store  |  Donate

About DU  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy

Got a message for Democratic Underground? Click here to send us a message.

© 2001 - 2011 Democratic Underground, LLC