2020
Nothing in these rules of engagement is intended to change the fundamental principle that the convention is the supreme authority of the organization and the means for determining organizational policy. As such, it has final authority with respect to all issues of policy. Delegates and members in attendance may participate in all convention discussions as a matter of right. Any member of NFBMD may make or second motions and propose nominations. These procedures simply implement the method for effectuating this principle in an electronic convention.
The principles and procedures below are intended to provide clarity and advance notice on how the state convention will be managed in 2020. This document will be read at the NFBMD board meeting on November 6. The intention is for it to be voted on the morning of November 7. Those eligible to vote on this proposal will be any eligible and enrolled members present and voting at the session on November 7 as described below.
A committee shall deal with questions and issues of credentials. This committee will include those members of the board of directors who are not standing for election this year: Shawn Jacobson, Marguerite Woods, and Melba Taylor. This committee will also include National Representative Pam Allen and Technical Expert Nick Lambright. Shawn Jacobson shall chair the committee.
Voting
- All individuals who are members as of September 30, 2020, are registered for the convention as of October 16, 2020, and who opted into the voter enrollment system by October 16, 2020, will constitute the pool of convention voters.
- All voting will be done via phone.
- Any matter must receive 51 percent support of the votes cast by the convention voters present and voting in order to be affirmed.
- Present and voting will mean the subset of convention voters who actually cast a vote on a given question. Thus, voters who are indifferent to a matter cannot block its consideration by the convention by choosing not to cast a vote.
- All votes will be allocated two minutes for vote time.
- After two minutes, if the outcome to the question under consideration is unclear, the chair will poll the delegates by voice vote for a definitive outcome.
- If voting indicates 75 percent support for or against a question prior to the two-minute period elapsing, the chair may elect to move to the next order of business.
- An opportunity to practice voting will be offered on a question that has no impact on the policy of the organization.
Motions and Nominations from the Floor
- Each chapter has elected a delegate and an alternate delegate to the convention. Each division was given the option of whether or not to have a delegate and alternate delegate to the convention.
- Only delegates will be able to make motions, second motions, and nominate candidates from the floor during the convention.
- Should a member of a chapter or division wish to make a motion or nominate a member for election by the convention, their delegate must bring it forward on their behalf.
- A member may petition another delegate to support their motion especially if the delegate from their own chapter or division will not support the motion.
Resolutions
- Resolutions to be presented to the convention must proceed through the Resolutions Committee process as usual.
- Resolutions being recommended to the convention by the committee will be posted to the web at http://nfbmd.org/ by 8:00 p.m. eastern on or three hours following the close of the Resolutions Committee Meeting, whichever is later, on November 6, 2020.
- Those wishing to speak for or against a resolution on the floor of the convention must submit their interest in doing so by sending an email to Convention@nfbmd.org or calling the NFBMD Convention Virtual Information Table by 1:00 p.m. eastern on November 7. The email must contain the individual’s full name, chapter or division, number and subject of the resolution they wish to discuss, whether they are for or against the resolution, and a phone number where they can best be reached in case there is an issue with the Zoom platform.
- In determining the amount of debate a resolution requires, the chair may use the Zoom polling option to get a sense of the crowd, ask the delegates for their feeling on cutting off debate, or engage some other strategy outside of the voting system to gauge the sense of the convention.