This is my first year serving on the PTO board. It has come to my attention that the executive board nominates the officers for next year. But I was also told that only the board gets to vote on the officers. This does not seem right to me. The PTO represents all the PTO members and I would think that the members get a say so. The bylaws state
"Only members in good standing of the organization shall be able to participate in its business meetings or serve in any elective or appointive offices"
"The nominating committee shall present a candidate for each elected office by the April executive meeting. It shall be the duty of this committee to nominate candidates for offices to be filled at the May General PTO Meeting."
"The officers shall be elected by ballot unless there is only one candidate for each office, in such case voting may be by voice upon motion from the floor. Term of office shall be for one year beginning after the May General Meeting or June 1st."
"The privilege of holding office, making motions, debating in voting shall be limited to members of the organization in good standing."
"Nominating committee of not less than three shall nominate candidates for officers to be filled at the regular meeting in April or to fill any vacancies that occur."

I know this is a lot of detail, but my concern is that they have always let the executive board vote and the other PTO members are not included in the vote. Don't get me wrong, we do not have all our officer positions filled and I can not imagine having a big turn out for the voting of the new officers for next year. But I have to talk about this at the next meeting and I am concerned about the possiblity that this does not feel right. Apparently the current officers vote on the new officers. I just can't see how the PTO members do not get a vote. We do have a robert's rule of order revised clause for all cases not covered. But no where in our bylaws does it say who get to vote on officers.

And I don't know if I am just rocking the boat and to leave it as is.:confused:

I think you certainly have the right to ask the question of the PTO president. Chances are that the exec. board does the voting because historical experience of the board is that not enough of the general membership care enough to appear at the general meeting, which creates a quorum issue.

My concern is that even if someone learned they could show up at the meeting and vote on the new officers, that the board would not count their vote. Is voting rights something that is in the bylaws?

When I read that section of your bylaws, I understand it to mean that the nominating committee has a time frame to finish its work before the April Executive board meeting. The nominating committee presents its nominees at the regular meeting (of the membership) in May at which time nominations from the floor may also be taken. This is pretty standard procedure.
I think someone misinterpreted your bylaws a while back and your PTO has been blindly following ever since.

I should have said "regular meeting in APRIL'!

Hi, not sure that this is the spot to ask this but a local PTO president is all but endorsing 2 returning school board candidates. She has not listed the names of the other 5 candidates that are running for the board in an email and talks about disruption of the current board and its policies if any of these new members are elected. Yet, the new candidates have say nothing about disrupting the board. This president did not attend a recent teacher's union candidates night and is rarely seen at any board meetings but seems to have quite a bit to say about this issue. Is this allowed?
Can a PTO be so brazen? Should a PTO endorse anyone or should equal time and consideration be given to all that are running?