Jan 31, 2018
Bylaws are a fundamental part of the operating process for any organization. They tell an organization what they should and should not do, and guide the people running the organization when things are unclear or uncertain. But, your organization changes, and that means your bylaws may need a change as well. A bylaw amendment is how an organization changes their bylaws. And, your bylaws often contain details on how to make the amendments!
Step 1: Review your bylaws to find guidance on how to run a bylaw amendment.
The first thing to do when looking to amend a bylaw is to get a clear picture of what you need to do to pass the amendment. Turn to your bylaws! They will contain all of that important information. For example, you’ll need the complete text of the bylaw you’re trying to amend, so you have to start there! Additionally, things like knowing how many votes are required to pass your bylaw (this is called a quorum) are important.
Step 2: Get legal help!
The language used in bylaws is extremely legal and technical. Attorneys can assist you with understanding the language you’re trying to amend. Additionally, they can help with coming up with new language for the bylaw. They can also make sure that the changes you’re proposing aren’t going to violate any provincial/state/federal laws. By consulting a third party, you are protecting yourself and your organization if something goes wrong.
Step 3: Pass your bylaw amendment.
So, you’ve done all that work to draft your bylaw amendment, and have it approved by a legal third party. But, the battle has only just started. Passing the amendment with enough numbers to satisfy your organization’s quorum will be the real challenge.
Now, this is where we come in. ElectionBuddy can help you pass your bylaw amendment!
The first step to getting your bylaw amendment passed is to distribute it to your membership. They need to be able to read the amendment in order to vote on it. With our new rich text editor on the ballot, you can present your bylaw amendment cleanly and accurately to your voters.
Both of these examples clearly display the amended text to the bylaw, ensuring that your voters have no confusion on what the old bylaw text was, and what the new text that they’re voting on says.
Create beautiful ballots that your voters can read.
Try ElectionBuddy’s rich text editor for your bylaw amendments, and all other types of votes, today!