To: uri@bunyip.com
Subject: rules of order in email votes
From: Larry Masinter <masinter@parc.xerox.com>
Message-Id: <93Oct19.111810pdt.2794@golden.parc.xerox.com>
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 1993 11:18:02 PDT
In order to hold a meeting by email and come to some conclusions,
a) you need a chair.
votes, seconds, etc. are recognized by the chair. It's best even
if members send things directly to the chair and let the chair mail
it out to the rest of the members.
This is to prevent simultaneous conflicting amendments from appearing
at the same time, multiple motions etc.
b) you need explicit polling of all members.
The hardest thing to do in an email ballot is determine if you have
a quorum in the first place, and secondly, whether you have a majority
of those `in attendance'. 3 votes does not pass a motion, even if
no-one else says anything. Maybe they didn't get the mail, they're
busy and not `really there'. Requiring an explicit ballot helps a lot.