[NFB-Maryland] Proposed Principles of Engagement - NFB of Maryland State Convention

[president at nfbmd.org]

All,

The Board of Directors of the National Federation of the Blind approved
putting forward the below proposed Principles of Engagement for the NFBMD
54th Annual Convention.  The Convention will vote on whether or not to adopt
these rules early Saturday, November 7, 2020 during the General Session.  We
will use the Swift Voting system for this vote.  We will read these proposed
rules at the Board Meeting, on Friday, November 6, which is an official
business meeting.  Then we will read them one more time Saturday morning and
vote on whether to adopt them.

 

NFBMD Principles of Engagement

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

1.	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. 
2.	All voting will be done via phone.
3.	Any matter must receive 51 percent support of the votes cast by the
convention voters present and voting in order to be affirmed.
4.	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.
5.	All votes will be allocated two minutes for vote time. 
6.	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. 
7.	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.
8.	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

1.	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.  
2.	Only delegates will be able to make motions, second motions, and
nominate candidates from the floor during the convention. 
3.	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.
4.	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

1.	Resolutions to be presented to the convention must proceed through
the Resolutions Committee process as usual.
2.	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.
3.	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 at nfbmd.org <mailto:Convention at 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.
4.	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.

 

 

 

 

 

Ronza Othman, President

National Federation of the Blind of Maryland

443-426-4110

Pronouns: she, her, hers

 

The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland knows that blindness is not
the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back.

 

 

 

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