Proposal 2025-02 Amend Article III, Section A: Membership, Voting, and Dues

Proposal 2025-02

Amend Article III, Section A: Membership, Voting, and Dues

Purpose: to eliminate the affiliate vote by reclassifying "affiliated organizations" as non-voting members of ACB for all purposes except the nominating committee as provided for in Constitution Article VI, Section D.

Article III Membership, Voting and Dues: A. Membership: Replace the second sentence, which currently reads: Voting members shall be affiliated organizations, their voting members, life members and members at large of the American Council of the Blind.

Proposed language for the second sentence reads: Voting members shall be certified members of affiliated organizations, life members, and members at large of the American Council of the Blind.

Replace the third sentence, which currently reads: Non-voting members shall be the individuals and entities holding sustaining memberships and those persons holding junior memberships, whether at large or joining as junior members of an affiliated organization.

Proposed language for the third sentence reads: Non-voting members shall be those individuals and entities holding sustaining memberships, those persons holding junior memberships, whether at large or joining as junior members of an affiliated organization, and affiliated organizations, except that such organizations are accorded full participatory rights in the nominating committee as provided for in Article VI, Section D.

Article 3A as amended reads:

Article III Membership, Voting and Dues: A. Membership The membership of this organization shall be of two (2) classes, voting and non-voting. Voting members shall be certified members of affiliated organizations, life members, and members at large of the American Council of the Blind. Non-voting members shall be those individuals and entities holding sustaining memberships, those persons holding junior memberships, whether at large or joining as junior members of an affiliated organization, and affiliated organizations, except that such organizations are accorded full participatory rights in the nominating committee as provided for in Article VI, Section D. (End of balloted Proposed Constitutional Amendment.)

Required Conforming Amendments

If this amendment is approved, related sections in the Constitution and Bylaws about the affiliate vote will also be updated to ensure consistency and prevent any contradictions. Based on guidance from our parliamentarian, these updates won't require a separate vote but are provided below for members to review and consider.

Article III Membership, Voting and Dues: C. Voting: Delete the last sentence in Section 1, which reads: In the case of record votes, official delegates from affiliates shall cast the number of votes to which their organizations are entitled as provided for in the Bylaws.

Replace the last sentence in Section 2, which reads: A record vote shall be composed of two (2) distinct components: a secret ballot vote conducted in the manner prescribed in the bylaws, and a roll call of affiliates by which official affiliate delegates shall announce the votes of their respective organizations.

The proposed last sentence of Section 2 reads: A record vote shall be composed of a secret ballot vote conducted in the manner prescribed in the bylaws.

Current language: Article III Membership, Voting and Dues: C. Voting:

1. Each certified member of this organization shall be entitled to one (1) vote at any annual or special meeting, provided that the person was a certified member as of the established record date of such meeting, which shall be thirty (30) days before such meeting, or in the case of the annual conference and convention, the opening session. In the case of record votes, official delegates from affiliates shall cast the number of votes to which their organizations are entitled as provided for in the Bylaws.
2. Voting on