To busy nonprofit board members, whose schedules make face-to-face board meetings seem like a luxury, a new trend in nonprofit governance has surfaced that may run afoul of the law – the “vote” by e-mail option.
Responding to the difficulty in wrangling a geographically diverse and time-crunched board, many nonprofit organizations are now allowing directors to “vote” by e-mail. This seems like the perfect solution. An issue or opportunity arises that calls for quick response. Directors are reluctant to attend an extra meeting. Why not circulate an e-mail, ascertain that there is general agreement and take action?
The ease and speed of email voting is seductively simple. But, this practice is a trap, because a board that relies on e-mail voting fails to comply with legal requirements for a proper vote, and exposes its decisions to attack. Nonprofit corporate statutes typically provide for board action to be taken either at a meeting (including a meeting by phone or video conference) or by unanimous written consent. Since an e-mail vote technically does not fit either category, it is quite possible that a court would consider an e-mail vote nothing more than an informal action, which is not legally valid.
Source: http://www.nonprofitquarterly.org/
Myrna Meadows, NRS, International Falls
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