This Is our Village

Friday, September 1, 2017


"60" to pass?? The bar graph shows 125 votes cast; at the Delegate Assembly, we were told 130 in attendance. 79 ayes is a large majority (63 and 60%, respectively) , but given that 63 votes is just over half, I don't understand the "Needed to pass  60".
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4 comments:

  1. UCO PresidentSeptember 1, 2017 at 8:09 PM

    Hi Old Nassau '67,
    Looks like a bad entry, "Operator Error"
    Such things can happen.

    Dave Israel

    ReplyDelete
  2. UCO PresidentSeptember 2, 2017 at 10:30 AM

    Hi Old Nassau '67
    Ken Graff advises me that this is not an "Operator Error"
    This is a software issue, wherein the program throws out the abstains before computing the "needed to pass" line.

    So, I would call this a software error, because if it throws out the abstains, it should do so at the "votes received" line.

    The normal way to go, is to consider all votes of "those present and voting"

    We will make a decision, perhaps with input from our Attorney, as to how to resolve this issue.

    In any case, since 79 votes were received in the affirmative, the motion clearly carries.

    Dave

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Old Nassau '67September 9, 2017 at 10:39 PM

      Thanks for the detailed answers. Fortunately, once the requisite quorum was established, the "Swap" proposal passed with a (large) majority of both (a) all votes cast and (b) all "yea" or "nay" votes cast.
      Given that future issues might be more closely decided, clarification as to what constitutes a "pass" should be stated: a majority, certainly, but of (a) all votes cast or (b) of only "yea" or "nay" votes cast?
      If (a), then an abstention equals "nay", since it does not add to the "yea" vote; if (b), an abstention does not influence the outcome. For example, a body has six members, three "yea"; two "nay"; one abstention. If (a), the motion fails because a majority has not voted "yea"; if (b), the motion passes, because more "yea"'s than "nay"'s.

      Delete
  3. UCO PresidentSeptember 10, 2017 at 12:48 AM

    Hi Old Nassau '67,
    We have heard from our Attorney on this issue.

    1) The Abstains should not be thrown out.
    2) The number present and voting in this case is 125.
    3) Thus the number needed to pass = 63. (125/2 rounded up to the next whole number).

    Thanks,
    Dave Israel

    ReplyDelete

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