Re: Out-of-date by-laws mean pet bans will stay

@SMO said:
It is a general misconception that you require 75% of all voters present (either personally or by proxy) to vote in favour of a proposed motion. In fact a special resolution is passed only after a poll is taken at the meeting and not more than 25% in value of the votes, by persons present (either personally or by proxy) and entitled to vote, are against the motion. 

The problem is that we tend to conflate two issues – the double negative and the fact that it’s the percentage of actual votes cast that count (rather than voters present).

So here it is in a nutshell.  

• Special resolutions require a poll vote based on the value of unit entitlements.
• If more than 25 percent of the value of the votes cast is against the motion it falls.
• If 75 percent or more of the value of the votes cast are in favour, it passes.

The arguments over the correct terminology are so eye-glazingly boring and of so little actual significance (as in, make a difference in the real world) that I will continue to say “75 percent of votes in favour”  because that gives people a sense of the size of the task.  They can work out the nitty gritty when they sit down to see if they have the numbers.