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Dear Dinosaur:  Our board of directors held its biennial election for new officers in December. Our next board meeting is scheduled for January 10.

Our question is: When does a new president assume the responsibilities of the office, and how is that transition handled? As the current board president, do I turn over responsibilities to the new officer at the meeting on January 10, or does the transfer of responsibility happen when the calendar rolls over to the new year (i.e. today)?

Answer:  These are the relevant excerpts from Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised, 12^th edition:

Section 46:46   Time at Which an Election Takes Effect.  An election to an office becomes final immediately if the candidate is present and does not decline, or if he is absent but has consented to his candidacy…

Section 46:47      An officer-elect takes possession of his office immediately upon his election’s becoming final, unless the bylaws or other rules specify a later time (see 56:27).

It is a bit awkward to have a transition in the middle of a meeting. We believe that it is useful to establish a time at which the officers take possession of their office, such as the end of the Annual Meeting at which elections are held, or on January 1, or at a time that makes sense for your organization.

Since it seems that you don’t have such a requirement in your governing documents, the new president has been president since the election was completed.

Dear Dinosaur provides simple, practical answers to questions about Robert’s Rules and parliamentary procedure. Send your questions to Dear Dinosaur here. Our answers are based on Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, 12th edition. As always, nothing in this post constitutes legal or business advice. For specific issues, seek a qualified authority.