“47:55 A member of an assembly who acts as its parliamentarian has the same duty as the presiding officer to maintain a position of impartiality, and therefore does not make motions, participate in debate, or vote on any question except in the case of a ballot vote. He does not cast a deciding vote, even if his vote would affect the result, since that would interfere with the chair’s prerogative of doing so. If a member feels that he cannot properly forgo these rights in order to serve as parliamentarian, he should not accept that position. Unlike the presiding officer, the parliamentarian cannot temporarily relinquish his position in order to exercise such rights on a particular motion.”
Excerpt From
Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised, 12th edition
Henry M. Robert III, Daniel H. Honemann, Thomas J. Balch, Daniel E. Seabold & Shmuel Gerber
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In a meeting last evening I was asked why I voted in opposition to a motion made in the committee. As you can imagine I was taken aback by such a question. And yet it was stated that I had actually been one of three members who did just that. As you can see from the excerpt above, I cannot and DO NOT vote on any matter coming before the committee. I take the job as Parliamentarian very seriously.
So I ask, why. Why would a member accuse me of casting a vote when it should be very obvious I don’t.
It is very disappointing and distressing to think that members of the committee would stoop so low as to make up falsehoods to put a negative light on me so that their candidate would seem the better pick.
Another falsehood stated that I opposed the Outreach and Election Integrity subcommittee formations. Truth is I proposed the formation of the Outreach subcommittee in a report to the Executive Committee in May 2022. My initial concern about the Election Integrity subcommittee was the wording. I do not like to state the objectives of any subcommittee in terms that cannot be executed. After a wording change I included it with all the other subcommittee proposals put before the membership.
It was in fact that I opposed the carving out of just those two subcommittees for approval and not addressing a more comprehensive overhaul of our then current subcommittee structure.
Please be wary of members who spread lies, innuendo and hyperbole to garner support for their candidate or cause.