YES! YES it is okay for you to let other people know you want to be nominated! You can't force anyone to nominate you, but you certainly can express your interest in the position.

Can I ask you what the job of the people on your nominating committee is? For us what they do is collect the nominations that come in and then phone the nominated person, tell them they have been nominated and ask whether or not they accept the nomination to run for the position.

You can ask for a copy of the bylaws and they should give you one right away. As a member and a board member you are entitled to see them.

We don't get a copy of the agenda before the meeting but if anyone wanted one they could certainly get one or be told what the agenda is. Our PTO happens to be a peacful unit and as such there is no drama. We don't have a pre meeting, but the board will sit and discuss anything we need to after our meeting ends.

Does someone else other then you or the current president also want the position as far as you know?

Again, you have every right to express you interest in the position to anyone and everyone. This is how people get themselves nominated most of the time. There is no point in nominating someone that does not want the position!

Boy do I appreciate your replies. Especially tonight. I just got home from a meeting where they asked for Nominating Committee members and said we have to have a new board in place by March 1st to make the calendar for next year. March 1st is our next meeting! I wasn't even aware this was being brought up at tonight's meeting.

Let me ask you, do you all get a copy of the agenda before your meetings? Do you all have a pre-meeting meeting with just board members to discuss the agenda and other things before the meeting?

I felt sabotages tonight and I made it known after the meeting that I didn't know about any of this. I don't know how nominations go because no one told me or gave me a copy of by-laws when I took on the position of Secretary.

Am I allowed to tell people to nominate me? If people get these nomination slips home and don't know who to nominate because they don't know who wants the position, then they don't send it back.

The treasurer quickly yelled that she wanted to be the board person for the nominating committee. This was all done so quickly I couldn't even respond.

They asked for two volunteers and no one raised their hand yet and the prez brought up a "letter" that a member wrote (who happens to be a good friend of the clique) requesting to be on the nominating committee again (she served last year). She quickly asked if everyone was o.k. with that and asked for another volunteer. A member raised her hand and that's it. 3 people on the committee. The whole thing looks and sounds shady to me only because they avoid my questions and confrontations on this stuff all the time.

So I want to know if I can tell people that I am interested in the position and if they feel they want to, they can go ahead and nominate me for the position of President. Is that right of me to do that?

We have a nominating committee that chooses people for each position, then at the last meeting we open the floor for nominations. Then we vote. If there were more than one person going for the same seat we would do a written vote to determine the winner. I agree, don't be afraid to step up and go for it. We beg for new people to take these positions with little or no luck.

AnnieGirl...Do it and don't feel bad about it. We had a similar situation in our school with an ex prez who was shocked when other people were nominated after her two years were up. She behaved as if someone had done something terrible to her. But the bottom line is that is the way it works and she only gets to stay if nobody else wants the job. If you or anyone else wants the job she cannot even run for relection. Don't let anyone make you feel guilty or bad about your decision to run. You have every right to run for the position!

Daddio, I'm surprised that your by-laws only allow for one year. Can you change that to make it at least two? Our terms are all two-year. Our current pres has been in for 6 years. Because no one stepped up for it. Now I am interested and people are asking me to take it. So many people know that I want it and I called the current pres to tell her I am interested before she hears it from someone else.

She said she was shocked but I can't see how because she knew I wanted it last year and didn't take it because we were in transition with administration.

So I just hope she doesn't try to sabotage me in any way. I'm going to have to nominate myself and see what happens I guess. Thanks for advice.

Our by-laws allow for a one year term. We have a nomination committee that is suppose to coordinate all people that will be on the ballot in the spring and then there is a general membership vote for those that are nominated. For example, if I want to stay as president for the next year, I would have to nominate myself to be on the ballot this spring.