The League of Women Voters
of New Jersey

a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization whose purpose is to promote political responsibility
through informed and active participation in government

Annual Meetings for Local Leagues

All Local Leagues are required to hold an annual business meeting of the membership.

The annual meeting is one of the most important general membership meetings of the year. It gives members an opportunity to direct the future of their League. Holding an annual meeting is in fact one of the seven basic requirements for League recognition. Most Leagues include all the important information in a mailing to their members prior to that meeting. Below are some helpful hints for assembling the advance mailing and a sample agenda or "script" for running the meeting.

• Set an annual meeting date and review pertinent policies or bylaw requirements.
• Appoint an arrangements chair to oversee the necessary meeting preparations.
• Plan a pre-meeting mailing to members with pertinent information
• Notify those committees responsible for making recommendations to the annual meeting (nominating, budget, program and policies/bylaws committees) of the date of the board meeting at which they should present their reports.
• Make the following appointments:
  • a person to audit or review the treasurer's books
  • a parliamentarian for the meeting.
• Plan with the board the format and content of the meeting. Guest speaker? Clever skit? Special awards?
• Prepare a script for the business part of the meeting. Include notes in the margin about things such as vote required.
• Invite your state League advisor or liaison to attend the meeting.
• Be sure to display League literature so that invited guests can learn about the League and our positions on issues. This is also a good time to distribute and collect personal interest surveys, and, since this is often the start of a new fiscal year, don't forget to collect dues if your League does not use the anniversary system

The pre-meeting mailing

Best practice: At least 30 days in advance of the meeting, send to all members:

• An invitation to the meeting
• The slate of candidates for election
• The proposed budget
• Notification of any special business that will be taken up by the meeting, such as changes in dues.

• Bylaws
• Last year’s Annual Meeting minutes
• Recent newsletter/VOTER (Annual Meeting background info)
• Current Treasurer’s report (one/two per table--sufficient)

Be sure that someone is prepared to make all necessary motions and to:

• Present credentials report
• Take dues
• Greet guest speaker
• Serve as parliamentarian
• Record minutes
• Present budget
• Present local program
• Present Nominating Committee report

• Have minutes prepared, read and approved as required.
• Complete appropriate report forms for the state League.
• Appoint those to be appointed to the board.
• Appoint board members to the next nominating, budget and policy/bylaws committees.

Welcome and Call to Order
"Will the ##th Annual Meeting of the ___________ League of Women Voters please come to order? Extra copies of the last newsletter are available for anyone who did not bring theirs tonight. It is customary that the minutes of annual meeting be approved by the board following annual meeting, so copies of last year’s minutes are available at the sign-in table. The secretary for this meeting is _____________"

Appointment of parliamentarian: _______________

Report of credentials

TOTAL PRESENT AT THIS TIME: _________

Different municipalities should be counted individually!

"In accordance with our bylaws, the quorum for this meeting must be __% of our current membership, or __ members. We have a quorum."

Treasurer’s report "We will now hear the treasurer's report from__________. Copies are available on each table. Are there any questions for _____? . . . If not, the treasurer’s report shall be accepted and placed on file."

Budget Committee’s Report/Presentation of proposed 2000-2001 budget "Please refer to the proposed budget for the coming year in your Annual Meeting newsletter. ____________ will present the budget as proposed by the budget committee and as recommended by the board." (She explains and moves adoption. Requires a second.) "Is there a second?"

Discussion and Adoption of Budget (majority vote) "This is the time for questions or to suggest changes to the budget. Are there any? . . .We will now vote on the budget as presented [or amended]. All those in favor: __ ; all those opposed __ MAJORITY VOTE REQUIRED. THANK YOU. WE HAVE A BUDGET. ["THANK YOU, members of budget committee. Remind everyone that they can renew membership tonight and save us from mailing them a renewal letter.]

Local Program (Positions, Studies, and Action Priorities)

FOR YOUR INFORMATION: According to our bylaws, (explain how recommended and non-recommended items are considered, voted upon, etc.)

Presentation of proposed 20XX-20XX Local Program (see proposed program information) "We will now consider the local program, as printed in the newsletter and as recommended to you by your board. The Board of Directors considers the items suggested by voting members ___ months prior to the Annual Meeting and formulates a proposed program. These positions are presented in brief with the basic information provided. _________will present these items. Questions for clarification are in order at this time. Full discussion on the merits of the items will follow." (_____ presents the positions here and moves for adoption.)

Discussion and adoption of local program "We will now have discussion and debate on our proposed program items. Adoption of the recommended program items requires a majority (usually) vote of those voting. We will discuss and vote on these individually. Now is the time to define the scope, limitation, and possibilities of each item if necessary. Again, the order of business here is Motion, Second, Discussion, & Vote (on each item)."

________ "moves for adoption of ______________. Is there any discussion about the first proposed program item?"

Etc., etc.

"THANK YOU. WE NOW HAVE OUR PROGRAM FOR THE NEXT YEAR."

 Nominating Committee Report " ____________ will read the nominating committee’s proposed slate as printed in the newsletter.

Nominations from the floor "If you have obtained the consent of the nominee, nominations from the floor are now in order. Are there any?"

Election "The nominations are closed. Would the following please stand: (call names in nominating committee report) I will entertain a motion from the floor to accept the slate as presented, if that is the wish of this group. (must be seconded; majority vote required) Is there a second? Congratulations and welcome to all of you as our newest elected board members. According to our bylaws, we may appoint ### more directors, so please let me know if you are interested in one of the vacancies. [THANK YOU _________________________]

President's Remarks

• Thanks to
• Awards
• Announcements

Lunch/Dinner

Introduce Speaker

Questions from the audience

Directions from the Floor "This is the time to give your opinions about how our League has operated, and how we can achieve our goals in the coming year. . ."

"I wish the League would . . ."

Adjournment "Is there any further business to come before this meeting? If not, we are adjourned."

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