[EM] Robert's Ruls of Order

[Dave Ketchum]

I read too much here based on not bothering to understand this topic so:

I have a weak credential, and a middling one:
      I often drive past a house where General Robert lived, in Owego.
      I have been involved in writing bylaws based on RROO.

Of bylaws:  I see three basic choices, for all of which it makes sense to 
reference RROO as the basis, and carefully define via bylaws what this 
organization chooses to do differently:
      Very short bylaws, depending on RROO for a standard set of basic rules.
      Longer bylaws, based on careful analysis as to what THIS 
organization CHOOSES to do differently, for good reasons.
      Bylaws in trouble, because someone chose to do differently, 
without adequate thought as to how their tailoring would fit and/or why 
bother.

Election methods:  RROO's primary audience is an organization meeting in 
person, for which RROO likes Plurality and repeated voting until a 
majority is achieved.

NOTE that the following quoted sentence is consistent with the right of 
bylaws based on RROO to be fitted to an organization's needs and desires 
(they say "preferential voting" when we talk of "ranked ballots" and, 
while they describe IRV, they do not use that title).

"When this or any other system of preferential voting is to be used, the 
voting and counting procedure must be precisely established in advance and 
should be prescribed in detail in the bylaws of the organization."
      This quote follows a detailed description of IRV as a method, but 
clearly DOES NOT forbid choosing Condorcet, and defining that in bylaws.
      Neither does it forbid defining other methods such as Approval in 
bylaws, and using them.

Weighted votes:  RROO chokes on these, but they can make sense and are in 
the bylaws for a meeting I will attend next month.  My voting power will 
be based on voters in my party in the district that elected me.  More 
power makes sense if:
      I represent more voters because there are more total voters in my 
district than in some other district (state law makes district sizes per 
its needs).
      I represent more voters because a higher percentage of voters enroll 
in my party.

Majority, super majority, etc.:  RROO define these and specifies their use 
consistent with its primary audience -  all of which DOES NOT forbid 
bylaws doing exceptions.
-- 
  davek at clarityconnect.com    people.clarityconnect.com/webpages3/davek
  Dave Ketchum   108 Halstead Ave, Owego, NY  13827-1708   607-687-5026
            Do to no one what you would not want done to you.
                  If you want peace, work for justice.