Nominations and Elections

The election of officers is one of the most important duties of the association. Officers should be chosen for their abilities and their willingness to serve the association. The bylaws should define the method of nomination and election that best suits the needs of the association. Members who are elected to serve should be knowledgeable about the PTA and the qualifications for each office.

Nomination by a nominating committee is the method most widely used. The bylaws should state when the committee is elected and by whom. The committee members are elected, not selected, and should have PTA knowledge and know members within the PTA. The president does not appoint the nominating committee and may not be an ex officio member; nor is it appropriate for the president to exert any influence on its selection of nominees. The chair of the committee is selected according to the provisions of the bylaws.

It is the responsibility of the nominating committee to recognize and seek qualified nominees for the elected leadership of the PTA. The members of the committee, therefore, have a tremendous influence on the future of the PTA and should themselves be carefully elected.

The nominating committee's major role and responsibility is to nominate the best qualified, available nominee(s) for each elected office. Missouri PTA provides a suggested unit/council bylaws that outline how the nominating committee is elected and its exact responsibilities.

The committee should have a copy of the bylaws and a membership list at the meeting. Committee members themselves may be nominated for office. They should be excused from the room while their nomination is being considered and may return to vote. Discussion of nominees is confidential and voting should be by ballot. The committee chair usually contacts nominees and informs them of the duties the office involves. The consent of the nominee to serve if elected should be obtained. The report of the committee is signed by all members who concur.

The committee selects one nominee for each office to be filled, depending on provisions of the local bylaws. The committee report is presented to the association at the time stated in the bylaws.

After the nominating committee reports, additional nominations from the floor may be made. These do not require a second and can only be made by a voting member. Unless the bylaws prohibit, eligible members may run for more than one office but if elected to more than one, must choose one on which they will serve. If a member elected to two positions is absent, the association decides by majority vote which office the nominee will fill and then votes again to fill the other office. The nominating committee is automatically discharged when its report is presented to the membership. However, if a nominee withdraws prior to the election, the committee must seek another candidate.

Following the presentation of the nominating committee report, the chair, taking each office in turn, says, "X has been nominated for the office of….Are there further nominations for the office of…?"

If other persons are nominated from the floor, their names are added to the list for the election. When time has been allowed, the chair may say, "Hearing no further nominations, the chair declares the nominations for the office of…closed." When all nominees have been offered for all offices, nominations may be closed by a motion and a two-thirds vote or by the chair. It is usually best to allow the presiding officer to close nominations when no one wishes to make additional ones. Nominations may be reopened by a motion and a majority vote, provided no votes have yet been cast.

Thoughts to Remember

PTA leadership can be easy. The keys are these: Use the training and resources provided by Missouri PTA and the National PTA, work as a team with the executive board and membership, and focus on projects that matter to members and that make a difference for children and youth. Just as important, remember to relax and have fun. PTA is work, but it is filled with opportunities for growth and service.

Reprinted by permission National PTA web site (www.pta.org)