The selection of board members is a key way to build an organization and ensure it has the leadership capacity to thrive. Having an established process for nominations and elections helps keep the organization in line with the bylaws. When the chair or the president selects a new member the process bypasses the meticulous vetting of committee selection and can cause conflict among other members who were nominated by committee.
It is essential that the committee thoroughly reviews the list of members and identifies individuals who are a suitable fit for the needs of your company. The committee should discuss and make notes on potential candidates. If the committee can’t find the right candidate for a certain post, it’s recommended to leave that seat open and allow members to propose their own names.
Once the committee has decided on its list of candidates it can hold an election. The most commonly used method is via voice vote where the chair calls for a yes or no vote on each candidate, in order of their name. The first candidate to receive an overwhelming majority of the votes wins.
Other methods of electing members of the board include written ballot, roll call, and cumulative voting. It is essential to accurately count the votes, regardless of the method. If a member is concerned that the teller aren’t following the correct procedure or there has been a mistake in the count of votes, they should raise their hand and inform the presiding officer of their concerns.