On Sunday, a couple dozen PCOs joined us in a brief socially-distant parking lot meeting to unanimously adopt a new bylaws amendment allowing virtual meetings and online voting. Thank you to those who showed up. At just under five minutes, it was likely our shortest meeting ever!
While this change allows us to meet virtually and vote electronically, we now need to adopt specific rules to put that into effect. The 36th Executive Board is unanimously recommending that members vote to approve these rules to guide us during the COVID-19 crisis.
View the proposed rules here!
If you are a voting member of the 36th, please vote here by June 7 at noon!
The rules try to simulate our existing in-person procedures as much as possible. However, they also allow for simple one-time votes (such as PCO appointments and officer elections) to be taken outside of meetings, so meeting time can focus on the business that has to happen in real time (such as resolutions and endorsements). There are five sets of rules:
- General Rules for Virtual Meetings and Electronic Voting: These are general rules for when and how in-person meetings will be cancelled, and general procedures for virtual meetings and electronic votes. Putting these rules here means we don’t have to repeat them in all the other separate rules.
- Emergency Resolution Rules: Rules for adopting resolutions during virtual meetings. These are similar to current practice, with more specific deadlines prior to the meeting to help make for efficient discussion during the meeting.
- Emergency PCO Appointment Rules: Rules providing for appointing PCOs by electronic vote outside of a meeting.
- Emergency Officer Election Rules: Rules providing for electing officers by electronic vote outside of a meeting.
- Emergency Endorsement Rules: Rules for making endorsements during virtual meetings. These are almost identical to the rules the 36th has used for years, with a few extra provisions for saving time on non-controversial endorsements during the meeting.
All voting members of the 36th can vote on these rules. You are a voting member if you’re registered to vote in the 36th and have either (1) paid 2020 dues, or (2) are a PCO (of any type). If you are not sure if you’re a member, please vote and we will let you know if your vote didn’t count and how to become a member.
If passed, these rules will apply to business conducted at our June 17th meeting. For reference, you can view the new bylaws amendment here and the Executive Board’s adopted procedures for this electronic rules vote here.
While we hope to see everyone in person again soon, these rules are necessary to keep our organization functioning while keeping each other safe.
