Nominated Committee Guidelines

The election of officers is one of the most important duties of the association because effective work depends in large measure on good leadership. Officers should be chosen for their abilities and their willingness to serve the interests of the association.

The Nominating Committee is one of the most important special committees a local unit can have. In fact, it is so important that it is elected in accordance with local unit bylaws. That is why it is so essential that committee members be elected with careful consideration.

Immediately before the Nominating Committee is elected, bylaws sections pertaining to the Nominating Committee should be read.

1. Selection of members: Members of the Nominating Committee should never be appointed by the president, and the president should not be a member of the committee even in an ex-officio capacity. Association bylaws should prescribe the method of selection. Most common methods of selection include; election by the association; election by the executive board; and the election of part of the committee by the association and part by the executive board.

2. Number of members: The number of members of the committee is, of course, determined by provision contained in the bylaws. An odd, rather than an even number, is recommended to avoid the possibility of a tie vote on the selection of a prospective nominee. The National PTA has 9 members and the Indiana PTA has 5 members. Unless there is a rule to the contrary, a majority vote of the committee becomes the decision of the committee.

3. Qualification for members: Only members in good standing should be selected to serve. They should be well acquainted with the membership, be informed of the duties of the offices to be filled, understand the purposes and mission of the association, and be willing to plan open-mindedly for its future progress by seeking out the best possible nominees for each and every office. No one serves on the committee by virtue of his position in the school or association. Members should have an understanding of the Nominating committee procedure in PTA.

4. Selecting a chairman: The committee should meet right after the association meeting in which the members were elected. If a chairman has not been appointed or elected, the committee elects, by majority vote, one of its members to serve as chairman. Then an agreement should be reached on the time and place for its first meeting and this information announced immediately.

5. Securing names: Members of the association should be invited, and urged, well in advance of the first committee meeting to share their ideas on prospective nominees with the committee. Any member may make suggestions to the committee. These are advisory and not mandatory, and are confidential. The consent of the person is not needed for a suggestion to the committee. Regardless of the number of suggestions received the committee's major responsibility is to secure the best qualified person for each office whether that person was recommended or not.

6. Guidelines: In order that the committee may know exactly what it can and cannot do, at the first meeting the bylaws and standing rules of the association which are pertinent to the nominations should be studied. Tools necessary for the committee should be available, such as the PTA Handbook, membership list (including phone numbers), telephone, paper and pencil. Committee members should know who is eligible to hold office and the duties of each officer to be nominated as well as specific duties and obligations of each individual office to be filled. (Refer to PTA Handbook and bylaws for information concerning the duties of the officers.)

7. Qualifications for nominees: Each committee member should feel responsible for presenting names for consideration, selecting them from his own recommendations and from the suggestion submitted by other members. Then all such names should be considered thoughtfully and discussed freely. Do not discuss the work of the committee outside of the committee group. Questions such as the following might be reviewed:

Does he have the ability and the commitment to promote the interests of the association?

What is his past experience?

What is his past performance?

What is his record of attendance at meetings?

Has he had any special preparation for leadership?

Does he have knowledge of the association's purposes and programs?

Can he work well with others?

Can he work in harmony with other prospective officers on the slate?

Is he dependable - and available?

Does he have special talents or skills (such as typing, or bookkeeping or a thorough knowledge of parliamentary procedures), which would especially qualify him for a certain office?

Does he have the personal qualities, which will present and represent the association well in the community?

8. When to call a candidate: A prospective candidate should be contacted only after the committee has approved doing so. Generally the chairman asks the member if the committee may place his name in nomination. Another committee member may do so if agreed upon in committee.

9. Office to be discussed first: Practically speaking, the nominee for the office of president should be agreed upon first, with vice president(s), secretary (or secretaries), and treasurer secured in that order.

10. Agreeing on a candidate: Selection of a candidate should be by a majority vote. Each committee member should be urged to express his views before a vote is taken. No deliberations of the committee should be discussed outside the committee meeting. When agreement is reached the prospective candidates should be contacted by telephone if this can be done, preferably while the committee is together.

11. Discussion with a prospective candidate: The prospect should be informed about the duties, obligations and responsibilities of the office, and be approached in such a way that he will regard being asked an honor. He should be given time to consider and should agree to serve if elected. He should be asked not to divulge the information that he has been contacted.

12. Number of nominees: The number of nominees for each office depends upon provisions in the bylaws. If the provision calls for "at least" one name for each office, the committee may list more if it so decides. Association members will have an opportunity to nominate from the floor at the proper time.

13. Selection of committee members as nominees: The question is frequently asked about the propriety of having members of the Nominating Committee named by that committee for office. Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, page 364, states: "Members of the Nominating Committee are not barred from becoming nominees for office. To make such a requirement would mean, first, that service on the Nominating Committee carried a penalty by depriving its members of one of their privileges, and second, that appointment to the Nominating Committee could be used to prevent a member from becoming a nominee."

14. Report of the committee: The committee report is signed by all members who concur with it. The report of the Nominating Committee is made at a meeting as stipulated in your unit/council bylaws. Nominations from the floor are in order as provided for in the bylaws. If the Nominating Committee is unable to fill position, it reports this fact and then nominations from the floor take effect.

15. Withdrawal of a nominee: If a nominee withdraws before the election is held, the committee is revived unless the bylaws or standing rules provide other wise.

16. Completion of obligations: The committee's work is completed when its report has been presented to the association's membership and the election has been held. If an officer is not elected at the election meeting or a vacancy occurs after election, check your bylaws. Most will say it is the responsibility of the Executive Committee to fill the vacancy.