We have it all over the boards about how to get more people out to the meetings. One of the biggest suggestions is having the kids perform. It can be a major hassle sometimes to find it in our schedules to attend a meeting (although the committed always find the time) but just because they haven't attended meetings, doesn't mean that they don't care about the direction of your organization. If you have a membership roster to check off who's voting and every member does have the right to vote, then I think that the event that will have the largest number of people in attendance is the way to go. Besides, you are not holding the elections during the performance, you are holding them before the performance and they know that if they are early, they vote. And if you are circulating the information that there will be voting that night and other parents don't attend, then they weren't going to attend anyway. If your concern is that members who never attend meetings don't have the knowledge of the workings of your group, then what a terrific way to introduce it! You may actually increase the number of volunteers. And if there is only one nominee for the office then chances are, they are going to vote for that nominee anyway. By changing it to a day that is seperate from either event, you are asking them to yet again (on top of the performance, on top of Family Fun night) to find it in their schedules to attend one more thing. Some parents just can't do it. But it doesn't mean that they don't care.
involvedmama,
I agree with melloweer; hold the elections on a night when you have the participation of those that want to vote. Both situations you mentioned don't provide for a valid vote. Make sure you are acting per your bylaws. If that means changing the bylaws do it so that conflicts will be minimized. Good luck.
I don't understand any of that. Why is it unfair to hold the elections right before the 4th/5th grade choir presentation...because those are the only parents that would come?? I'm not connecting the PTO elections to who comes to their choir presentation.
Also......how fun is a family fun night where you elect ppl...we all know thats not fun at all. I think you'd be taking away from the fun night with that. If parents are interested in voting they will show up at the meeting. You can't force people to vote if they don't want to...and if you hold it at the fun night wouldn't you, in the same sense, be getting votes just to get votes, not valid votes...just votes cause they happen to be there. If I were in your shoes I'd hold the voting seperate then combining it with another event.
Our PTO is getting ready to have our annual election. Last year there was a big fuss over the election and the principal had to step in and conduct it. This was fine as there were no by-laws last year. However this year things are heating up again. We now have by-laws which do not mention the principal at all. Last years election was unfair because it was held at the last general meeting. Now why is that unfair? Because the last general meeting is right before the 4th and 5th grade chorale presentation. So the only parents who come are 4th and 5th grade parents. This year the principal and half the board want the election held at our school's Family Fun Night. The suggestion was made to move the general meeting to Family Fun Night so that we would be following the by-laws. At our last meeting everyone agreed. Now it is a different story. Half of the board wants it to stay the way it has always been. I am afraid that the principal is going to step in. Can he say it has to be held on family fun night? This seems to be a fair solution. Since you would allow all interested parents the right to vote. Does he have the right to say there will be no PTO at our school next year?? :confused: This year has been nothing but a fight. Almost makes me want to quit.
Thanks
