Daughters, we have been promising to deliver what we believe are concrete answers to many of your questions and to many of the claims made by our opponents. We have procured two separate opinions from two different professional parliamentarians.
Please think back to the many times you have been told something by a state and/or national officer, without any reference to a bylaw or rule, and see if this list addresses that.
We hope that each of you will be empowered by knowledge, facts, truth, and definitions of words, and be ready to challenge bold claims made by state and national officers.
Unlike our opponents, we do our best to offer no personal conjecture or excuses, but rather rely on the black and white letter of the law.
We asked Tim Wynn, PRP the following questions.
Click here to download the Summary & Opinion.
1. Do chapters have the right to compel the holding of a special meeting?
The Bylaws (Article VIII, Section 7) provide that “A special meeting also shall be called by the President General upon the written request of thirty or more chapters in at least ten states.” This provision authorizes the chapters to compel the holding of a special meeting, provided that the required number of chapters issue the written requests.
2. What’s the difference between a special meeting and a special convention?
“Special Meeting” is a term used in parliamentary law to refer to a session that is not a “Regular Meeting.” Both a regular meeting and a special meeting are examples of “sessions,” which may include one or more individual meetings, but which, as a single meeting or as a group of meetings, goes through an entire order of business.
These terms (special meeting and regular meeting) are applicable to DAR, but it should be understood also that DAR’s membership meetings, whether regular or special are conventions, for which Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised 12th Edition, (section 1, paragraph 14) provides the following definition: “A convention is an assembly of delegates … chosen, normally for one session only, as representatives of constituent units or subdivisions of a much larger body of people in whose name the convention sits and acts.”
So, a special meeting of DAR’s membership is both a special meeting and a special convention. Likewise, a regular meeting of DAR’s membership is both a regular meeting and a regular convention.
3. What is the duty of the President General in regard to calling a special meeting that has been requested by the chapters?
The Bylaws (Article VIII, Section 7) provide that “A special meeting also shall be called by the President General upon the written request of thirty or more chapters in at least ten states.” This provision sets forth a clear duty by the President General to issue the call for a special meeting upon receiving the requests from the required number of chapters.
4. What does “call” mean in parliamentary law?
In parliamentary law, the “call” of a meeting is the written notice of the meeting. Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised 12th Edition (section 1, paragraph 7) provides that, “The call of a meeting is a written notice of its time and place that is sent to all members of the organization a reasonable time in advance.” When used as a verb, such as to call a special meeting, the term “call” means to provide the written notice of the meeting. Many regular meetings often don’t require a call, since the membership is already alerted to the meeting’s existence by its being prescribed in governing documents. Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised 12th Edition (section 9, paragraph 1) provides that, “The term regular meeting (or stated meeting) refers to the periodic business meeting … held at weekly, monthly, quarterly, or similar intervals, for which the day (as, “the first Tuesday of each month”) should be prescribed by the bylaws and the hour and place should be fixed by a standing rule.”
A special meeting is also referred to as a “called meeting,” since, unlike a regular meeting, its time and place is not established by the governing documents and therefore the membership must be alerted to these details through the “call” of the meeting. This is why Robert’s Rules of Order repeatedly refers to business being transacted at a “regular or properly called meeting.” A meeting is either regular or special.
5. Does the President General have the authority to decline to call a special meeting that has been requested by chapters?
The Bylaws prescribe to the President General a clear duty to call the special meeting upon the request of the required number of chapters. The Bylaws do NOT prescribe to the President General an option to refuse this duty or an option to veto the requests for the special meeting.
It is critical to understand that the rules apply equally throughout the organization without regard to the perceived popularity of a position or the perceived desirability of a proposed resolution. It is essential that the rules be followed by the members and that the duties be performed by the officers in accordance with The Bylaws. It doesn’t matter if all the chapters support a particular resolution or if thirty chapters in ten states support the resolution, so long as the requirement in The Bylaws for requesting a special meeting is met, the special meeting must be called and held.
It is not a proper function of parliamentary law or the democratic process for an officer or a subordinate body to violate the rules in order to support or oppose a particular position or action. Those opposed to the business for which the special meeting is properly requested must use valid parliamentary means, such as free and fair debate, to convince the membership to oppose the measure by a fair and valid vote. It is not in order for officers to attempt to defeat a motion through dereliction of their duty, through violation of The Bylaws, and through infringement upon the rights of members.
One’s individual stance on a resolution has absolutely no bearing on the performance of one’s duties in the calling or holding of a special meeting. It is fundamentally improper for an officer to simply say, “I don’t support this resolution, so I won’t perform my duties under The Bylaws, and I won’t act in accordance with the rights of the chapters that do support the resolution.” If an officer is unable or unwilling to perform the duties of her office, she should resign from the office, as her inability to perform her role is inherently detrimental to the members of the organization.
Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised 12th Edition (section 32, paragraph 5) provides that, “If a member who has accepted an office, committee assignment, or other duty finds that he is unable to perform it, he should submit his resignation.”
6. When does the President General have to call the special meeting that has been requested by the chapters?
The Bylaws (Article VIII, Section 7) provide that “A special meeting also shall be called by the President General upon the written request of thirty or more chapters in at least ten states.”
Merriam-Webster defines the word “upon” as a synonym for the word “on,” which it defines as “—a preposition used as a function word to indicate a time frame during which something takes place (e.g., a parade on Sunday), or an instant, action, or occurrence when something begins or is done (e.g., on cue; on arriving home; news on the hour; cash on delivery).”
When The Bylaws prescribe that a special meeting shall be called by the President General “upon the written request of thirty or more chapters in at least ten states,” it is clear that The Bylaws explicitly prescribe that the meeting shall be called the moment the required number of written requests are made. The date on which the special meeting is to be held has no bearing on the time when the President General is required by The Bylaws to call the special meeting.
7. Does the provision regarding “not less than thirty days’ notice” mean that the President General is not required to call the meeting until thirty days before the actual meeting?
The Bylaws (Article VIII, Section 7) provide, “Not less than thirty days’ notice of a special meeting shall be given and only that business specified in the call may be transacted.”
Such a notice requirement, which is very common in parliamentary law, determines whether the meeting is in order based on the notice provided. It does not set parameters for the giving of notice. When a special meeting is convened, the chair ensures that the proper notice was provided. In this case, at the outset of the meeting, the chair would ensure that the notice of the meeting had been sent not less than thirty days before the date of the meeting. This provision has nothing to do with allowing the President General a window for withholding notice of a special meeting from the membership.
Rules regarding the members’ right to notice are not drafted for the convenience of the officer who must provide the notice. They are drafted to ensure that members are properly informed of meetings and of business to come before the assembly. When The Bylaws provide that the President General shall call a special meeting upon the written request of chapters, that is when the President General must do it. The fact that The Bylaws provide that the meeting may not be held with fewer than thirty days’ notice does
not override the clear directive in The Bylaws of when the President General shall call the meeting.
8. Who decides the time and place of the special meeting?
Inherently, the time and place for the special meeting, being essential elements of the special meeting, are set by those with the “authority” to determine that a special meeting shall be held (also referred to as “calling” a special meeting in certain circumstances). It is clear from The Bylaws that the President General does not have the “authority” to decide that a special meeting will be held, which is to say that the President General cannot decide on her own that a special meeting will be held and then issue a call for that special meeting. The directive for the special meeting must come from one of the two sources prescribed in The Bylaws: either the National Board of Management or the chapters of the society. The Bylaws prescribe a “duty” to the President General of issuing the call of the special meeting upon the direction of the National Board of Management or the chapters.
The President General has no authority to change the directive or to partially carry out the directive or to issue a call that only satisfies part of the directive. It is a common misconception of those unfamiliar with parliamentary law that the president of an organization has unlimited authority unless specifically stated otherwise in the bylaws of the organization. However, just the opposite is true in parliamentary law. The officers of an organization, including the president, have only the authority that is specifically granted by the organization. Where The Bylaws provide, “A special meeting also shall be called by the President General upon the written request of thirty or more chapters in at least ten states,” this clearly prescribes a duty of the President General to adhere to the written request. It does not authorize the President General to deviate from the request or to modify the request. The President General has a duty to call the special meeting, and such call must comport with the details of the request. The President General cannot call a different special meeting than the one requested by the chapters.
9. Was the special meeting requested for October 11, 2026, held by the Daughters of the American Revolution on June 26, 2026?
The bylaws empower the membership to request a special meeting, which is a separate session held at a different time than Continental Congress. When the chapters request a special meeting for October 11, 2026, it is the duty of the President General, under the bylaws, to call a special meeting for October 11, 2026. A special meeting cannot be held during Continental Congress. That is simply nonsense. Also, a special meeting requested for October 11, 2026, cannot be held in June. That, too, is nonsense. The only way the President General can comply with the bylaws and perform her duty under the bylaws in regard to a special meeting requested by the chapters for October 11, 2026, is to call a special meeting for October 11, 2026.
10. Can a special meeting be held between meetings of Continental Congress?
It appears that members are being told that a special meeting was held on June 26, 2026. It also appears that members are being told that a “separate session” was held on June 26, 2026. Furthermore, it appears that members are being told that this “separate session” counts as a special meeting. None of these conflicting assertions are true. A special meeting was not held. A “separate session” was not held. And nothing that happened at Continental Congress counts as a special meeting.
A special meeting cannot be held during Continental Congress. A “separate session” cannot be held during Continental Congress. Continental Congress is a regular session. Every meeting within Continental Congress is a part of that regular session. A meeting of a regular session cannot be a special meeting. Those who try to twist this terminology to make that concept fit are missing one crucial, elemental point: the term special meeting, in parliamentary law, does not refer to a meeting; it refers to a session of one or more meetings. Special sessions contain one or more meetings, all of which are part of the special session. Regular sessions contain one or more meetings, all of which are part of the regular session. Special sessions and regular sessions cannot be intermixed. Continental Congress is a regular session, and all of its meetings are a part of that regular session. Calling an item of business within the regular session “special” does not create a special session.
The word “special” is not what makes a special meeting special. A special meeting is special because it is a session that takes place at a different time than that of any regular session, completely unconnected with any regular session. A meeting of Continental Congress can NEVER be a special meeting. It would be pointless and incoherent to hold a special convention during a regular convention. The whole purpose of a special meeting is to transact business apart from any regular session.
The critical question in this situation is NOT whether a meeting of a special convention can be held between meetings of a regular convention (it cannot). The real question is whether a special convention was actually held on June 26, 2026. It is clear that no special convention was held. The Notice to Members issued by the Office of the Secretary General provides that “Notice is hereby given that, in addition to the regular business to be considered at the 135th Continental Congress, the Special Order of Business has been scheduled for consideration on June 26, 2026 …”
The Notice to Members issued by the Office of the Secretary General provides that “This resolution was the subject of a chapter request to the President General to call a special meeting of the National Society on October 11, 2026. … this matter has been placed on the agenda as the Special Order of Business and will be taken up at the designated time during the 135th Continental Congress.”
The Notice to Members makes it perfectly clear that the resolution is to be on the agenda of the 135th Continental Congress and that it is to be considered during the 135th Continental Congress. This is NOT the call of a special convention. This is Notice of the business to be considered at the 135th Continental Congress.
Furthermore, the Proposed Program for the 135th Continental Congress states that the meeting of the 135th Continental Congress held on the evening of June 25, 2026, will “Recess until 9:00 a.m., Friday, June 26.” This clearly indicates that the 135th Continental Congress continues its regular session on June 26, 2026, at 9:00 A.M. The meeting of the 135th Continental Congress held on June 26, 2026, was NOT a completely separate convention with its own delegates, its own rules, and its own program. It was clearly a meeting of the regular convention of the 135th Continental Congress.
Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised 12th Edition (section 9, paragraph 13) provides that “A special meeting (or called meeting) is a separate session of a society held at a time different from that of any regular meeting, and convened only to consider one or more items of business specified in the call of the meeting.”
It’s important to understand the parliamentary meaning of the terms “session” and “meeting.” Every session contains at least one meeting. Every meeting is in one—and only one—session. A session may contain multiple meetings. See the following pertinent quotations from Robert’s Rules of Order:
“Departure from Parliamentary Meanings in Ordinary Speech. Because of the fact that a meeting and a session usually coincide in ordinary local societies or branches, these two terms often tend to become confused or used interchangeably in everyday speech. Whenever either word is used, the context should be noted in the light of the explanations in this section.” – RONR (12th ed.) 8:6
“… the term regular meeting applies particularly to the regular business session.” – 9:6
“A session of an assembly … is a meeting or series of connected meetings devoted to a single order of business, program, agenda, or announced purpose, in which—when there is more than one meeting—each succeeding meeting is scheduled with a view to continuing business at the point where it was left off at the previous meeting.” – RONR (12th ed.) 8:2
11. Does DAR have different definitions than Robert’s Rules of Order for the terms “session” and “meeting”?
The Bylaws use the term “meeting” in a fashion that is consistent with the meaning of the word as defined in Robert’s Rules of Order and common parliamentary law. The same is true of The Bylaws’ usage of the terms “regular meeting” and “special meeting.” The Bylaws do not contain the term “session,” but, of course, they do prescribe Robert’s Rules of Order as the official parliamentary authority, thereby adopting its definitions.
Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised 12th Edition (section 8, paragraph 6), in regard to the terms “meeting” and “session,” provides the following: “…these two terms often tend to become confused or used interchangeably in everyday speech. Whenever either word is used, the context should be noted in the light of the explanations in this section.” -RONR (12th ed.) 8:6
12. Does the fact that Continental Congress considered a vote on the Resolution that is to be considered at the special meeting affect the President General’s duty to call the special meeting?
It is a well-established principle of parliamentary law that, after a resolution (or any main motion) is voted down in one session, that exact same resolution may be made again at any subsequent session, including at a special meeting called for that purpose.
Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised 12th Edition (38:3(2)) provides, “Any motion that is still applicable can be renewed at any later session, except where a specific rule prevents its renewal; and such an impediment to renewal at a later session normally can exist only when the first motion goes over to that session as not finally disposed of, in which case the question can then be reached through the first motion.”
The resolution to be considered at the special meeting to be held on October 11, 2026, is in order. Its consideration at the 135th Continental Congress has no bearing on the chapters’ exercising their right to request a special meeting and no bearing on the President General’s clear duty under The Bylaws to issue the call of the special meeting.
13. Is the cost of a special meeting a factor in whether or not it should be called?
The Bylaws specifically provide that a special meeting shall be called upon the written request of thirty chapters in ten states. There is, of course, an inherent cost associated with holding a special meeting. The authorization for calling a special meeting also authorizes the expenditure of the inherent cost of holding that meeting.
Violating The Bylaws by not calling a special meeting simply because there is an inherent cost associated with holding a special meeting is tantamount to violating The Bylaws by not holding a Continental Congress, simply because there is an inherent cost associated with it.
To argue that a special meeting cannot be held because of the inherent cost of holding a special meeting is to argue that The Bylaws do not authorize special meetings, since special meetings do have inherent costs. But clearly, The Bylaws do authorize special meetings and prescribe when and under what circumstances they shall be called. Those conditions do not include a limitation based on the cost of holding the special meeting.
14. What recourse does the association have if its President General refuses to perform her duties under the bylaws in regard to calling the special meeting?
Disciplinary action will be discussed at the bottom of this section, but such action should generally be used as a last resort. Often an officer who is refusing to do her job can be made to understand the severity of her action—how it violates members’ rights and corrodes the structure of the organization—and be convinced to adhere to her responsibilities before discipline becomes necessary.
As a first step, it is advisable to alert the President General of the duty assigned to her by The Bylaws and the detriment to the organization and to the rights of members if she continues to violate The Bylaws by refusing to perform the duties of her office.
As a second step, it is advisable for members of the organization to contact the National Board of Management, as well as the individual members of the board, to officially notify them of the President General’s refusal to perform her duties and her violation of The Bylaws.
The Bylaws (Article IX, Section 3) provide that “The National Board of Management shall: (a) have all power and authority over the affairs of the National Society during the interim between the meetings of the National Society …” and “perform such other duties as are prescribed by these Bylaws …”
The National Board of Management should be officially made aware of the fact that a duty of The Bylaws is being neglected and that such neglect of duty is both hampering the business of the National Society and infringing upon the rights of chapters and the rights of the membership.
The National Board of Management has the authority—expressly stated in The Bylaws— to direct the President General to call a special meeting. Therefore, the National Board of Management is specifically empowered to correct this issue and prevent this hampering of the business of the National Society, along with preventing the infringement upon the chapters’ and members’ rights.
The Bylaws (Article 8, Section 7) provide “Special meetings of the National Society shall be called by the President General when directed to do so by a majority vote of the National Board of Management provided that at least thirty members of the National Board of Management vote affirmatively. This vote may be taken by mail.”
If the National Board of Management is complicit in this dereliction of duty and this infringement of the rights of the chapters and the membership, this fact should be brought to the surface for the membership to clearly see. To this end, it is advisable to ensure that the National Board of Management, and its individual members, are well informed about the violations of members’ rights, the refusal to perform the duties of office, and the violation of The Bylaws.
Additionally, it is advisable to specifically make the First Vice President General aware of this dereliction of duty and infringement upon the rights of chapters and members by the President General. The President General does not control the special meeting or its details, she merely performs the duty of calling the special meeting in accordance with The Bylaws and at the direction of the necessary number of chapters.
Therefore, if the President General fails to perform her duty under The Bylaws, the duty must still be performed. The purpose of the call of the special meeting is to ensure that all members are properly notified of the details of the meeting, including the date, location, and purpose of the meeting. Since there is no reasonable dispute over these details, it would be in accord with the rights of the membership and the chapters for another officer to step in and perform the duty that is prescribed by The Bylaws but that has been abandoned by the President General’s dereliction of duty. The First Vice-President General is the officer who would issue the call in the President General’s absence from duty or inability to perform the duty.
The Bylaws (Article VII, Section 3) provide that “The First Vice President General shall: (a) perform the duties of the office of President General in the absence or inability of the President General;”
As a later step, The Bylaws (Article XIX, Section 1) provide for disciplinary measures for “Any member conducting herself in a way calculated to disturb the harmony of the National Society …or to hamper it in its work …” Whenever an officer refuses to perform her duty in a way that hinders or prevents the assembly from conducting its business or holding a meeting, there are grounds for disciplinary action in order to protect the rights of the members and to protect the ability of the organization to properly
function.
It should also be noted that any officer may be removed from office, without cause, by a motion to do so, in either a regular convention or a special convention called for that purpose.
The Bylaws (Article VI, Section 5) provide that “The officers of this Society shall hold office for three years or until their successors are elected …”
Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised 12th Edition (section 62:16) provides, “If the bylaws provide that officers shall serve ‘for __ years or until their successors are elected,’ the officer in question can be removed from office by adoption of a motion to do so. The vote required for adoption of this incidental main motion is (a) a two-thirds vote, (b) a majority vote when previous notice has been given, or (c) a vote of a majority of the entire membership—any one of which will suffice.”
Ultimately, the refusal of the President General to perform her required duties under The Bylaws should be treated just the same as such a refusal to obey The Bylaws perpetrated by any other officer, committee member, staff member, or DAR member. The duty should be performed by another responsible party, lest the organization and its chapters and members suffer, lest the rules be thwarted and rendered invalid by the whim of one individual.
15. Is it in order for a motion that was defeated at Continental Congress to be considered again at a later meeting?
It is a well-established principle of parliamentary law that, after a resolution (or any main motion) is voted down in one session, that exact same resolution may be made again at any subsequent session, including at a special meeting called for that purpose.
Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised 12th Edition (38:3(2)) provides, “Any motion that is still applicable can be renewed at any later session, except where a specific rule prevents its renewal; and such an impediment to renewal at a later session normally can exist only when the first motion goes over to that session as not finally disposed of, in which case the question can then be reached through the first motion.”
It should be noted that the impediment to renewal mentioned in the previous paragraph 1) does not apply to the resolution for which the special meeting was requested, since it did not go over to the special meeting by an act of a previous session; and 2) such an impediment implies that the resolution can be brought before the assembly in some other way which would have priority over making the motion anew, so this impediment doesn’t prevent the motion from coming before the assembly, it simply renders the making of the motion unnecessary, since it may come before the assembly through other means.
16. Does making an item of business The Special Order for a meeting count as holding a special meeting to consider that item of business?
The Special Order for a meeting and a special meeting have absolutely nothing to do with one another. The only similarity is that they each have the word “special” in their name. A special meeting is a separate session held to consider one or more items of business. The Special Order for a meeting simply gives priority to an item of business inside of a particular meeting. It is extremely common for conventions to have special orders. That doesn’t make the convention a special meeting. Sometimes conventions give an item of business the priority of being The Special Order. And that does not make the convention a
special meeting.
Both a special meeting and a regular meeting can designate an item of business as The Special Order for a meeting. Such a designation does not change the session from a
regular meeting to a special meeting or vice-versa.
17. If a special meeting is called and held in accordance with The Bylaws, at the request of thirty chapters in at least ten states, to consider a resolution and that resolution is defeated at that special meeting, would the President General still have the duty to call another special meeting for a later date, if thirty chapters in ten states requested another meeting for the same purpose as the first meeting?
Thirty chapters have the right, under The Bylaws, to compel the calling of a special meeting, provided they are in at least ten states. The Bylaws require the President General to call a special meeting upon the written request of the prescribed number of chapters. There is no prohibition against the calling of a special meeting for the same purpose as that of a previous special meeting. The thirty chapters can even be chapters who originally requested the first special meeting.
18. Can the President General determine that the resolution is not in order and therefore not call the special meeting?
A determination of whether or not a motion is in order for a meeting of the membership would have to take place inside a meeting of the membership, by the chairman of the assembly. The chairman has no authority to make a ruling on the business of the assembly outside of a meeting of the assembly. Every ruling of the chairman is subject to an immediate appeal inside the meeting. The President General cannot circumvent the members’ right to appeal by making a ruling outside of a meeting—such an arrangement would turn the office of the President General into an autonomous dictator.
The President General has no authority to make rulings on the business of the assembly of a membership meeting, except when she is acting as the chairman of the assembly, inside a meeting of the assembly.
It is certainly possible for the chairman of the special meeting to rule any particular motion out of order, but this ruling would have to be validly based on an applicable rule, and the ruling would be subject to an immediate appeal, to be decided by a vote of the assembly.
19. When the required number of chapters request a special meeting to be held on a particular date, in accordance with The Bylaws, can the President General call a Special Meeting for a different date, and would such a meeting satisfy the President General’s duty to call the special meeting?
When the required number of chapters request a special meeting in accordance with The Bylaws, that does NOT authorize the President General to call any special meeting that she wants. It creates a duty, as prescribed in The Bylaws, for the President General to call the special meeting that was requested, not a completely different special meeting, not a special meeting for a different purpose, not a special meeting that partially aligns with the requested meeting, not a special meeting for a different date. The Bylaws do NOT authorize the President General to call a special meeting of the membership. The Bylaws require that the President General call a special meeting when requested by the required number of chapters. Such a request does not then authorize the President General to call her own special meeting, ignoring the details of the request.
Only the National Board of Management and the Chapters are empowered by The Bylaws to authorize the calling of a special meeting. If the President General attempts to call and hold a special meeting that was not directed by the National Board of Management or by the Chapters, the call would be invalid and in violation of The Bylaws, as would be the holding of the meeting.
When the required number of chapters provided written requests for a special meeting to be held on October 11, 2026, in accordance with their rights granted by The Bylaws, the special meeting was authorized for that date and for the purpose stated in the request. The President General has the duty, as prescribed in the Bylaws, to call the special meeting in accordance with the details of the request.
The calling or the holding of an unauthorized special meeting on a different date does not satisfy the President General’s duty to call the special meeting requested by the chapters in accordance with their rights granted by The Bylaws.
20. Was the Resolution placed on the agenda for the 135th Continental Congress as a parliamentary mechanism of the chapters’ written request for a Special Meeting or as mechanism of the President General’s call of a Special Meeting?
Neither The Bylaws nor any rule of the organization provide for an item of business to be placed before Continental Congress as the result of a written request by chapters for a special meeting or as the result of the President General’s call of a special meeting. The concept of holding a special meeting does not align or overlap in any way with the concept of placing an item of business before the regular convention of Continental Congress.
The resolution was placed on the agenda for the 135th Continental Congress when the delegates at the 135th Continental Congress adopted the proposed agenda for the 135th Continental Congress. It’s appearance on the agenda of the regular convention was not created by the chapters’ request for a separate special convention.
21. During a ballot vote, are members allowed to enter and exit the meeting?
Members of an assembly are free to enter and exit as they please, though there is one notable exception that is based completely in practicality and accuracy (which will be addressed five paragraphs below).
“It is a fundamental principle of parliamentary law that the right to vote is limited to the members of an organization who are actually present at the time the vote is taken in a regular or properly called meeting, although it should be noted that a member need not be present when the question is put. Exceptions to this rule must be expressly stated in the bylaws.” – RONR (12th ed.) 45:56
This rule provides that when the vote is taken—that is, in the case of a ballot vote, when the ballots are collected—any member present can vote, whether or not that member was present earlier. However, there is no requirement that the member be present when the motion is actually put by the chair—that is, when the chair officially announces the exact question that is to be voted upon and instructs the assembly regarding the vote. In a ballot vote, the vote itself can take considerable time after the chair puts the question. The rule clearly prescribes that one need not be present for the putting of the question, but may enter (or re-enter) afterward and still vote on the question.
“… the motion to close the polls requires a two-thirds vote. … If members enter afterward and it is desired to reopen the polls, this can be done by a majority vote.” – RONR (12th ed.) 30:9-10
The provisions immediately above speak to a case where the polls have officially been closed. In such a case, the polls can be reopened to accommodate a member who enters after the polls have been closed. If the member enters while the polls are still open, there is no impediment to his casting a vote.
For comparison, there is a rule regarding the taking of a Counted Rising Vote, which, of course, does not apply to the taking of a vote by ballot. See the following:
“In all but small assemblies, the doors should be closed and no one should enter or leave the hall while a count is being taken.” – RONR (12th ed.) 45:15
This applies only to the taking of a counted rising vote. When a counted rising vote is taken, the chair instructs those in favor of the motion to rise, then the chair (or tellers) count those who are standing for the affirmative vote. This process is then repeated for the negative vote. So, standing is the method each member uses to indicate his vote. Normally, one enters and exits a room also by standing. So, allowing entry and exit provides confusion, especially in larger assemblies, during the counting process, since
anyone standing should be counted as casting a vote. This rule does NOT apply to voting by ballot, where standing does not equate to casting a vote. The inclusion of this rule here —for a specific practical purpose—and its omission elsewhere, supports the conclusion that this very specific rule does not apply to the taking of a ballot vote.
Also, it should be understood that the assembly cannot create a rule that would prevent voting delegates from attending the meeting, even by a unanimous vote. Delegates have a right to attend and to vote.
“Rules protecting a basic right of the individual member cannot be suspended. Thus, while generally applicable limits on debate and the making of motions may be imposed by motions such as the Previous Question, the rules may not be suspended so as to deny any particular member the right to attend meetings, make motions or nominations, speak in debate, give previous notice, or vote. These basic rights may be curtailed only through disciplinary proceedings.” – RONR (12th ed.) 25:11
CONCLUSION:
- Do chapters have the right to compel the holding of a special meeting?
Yes, The Bylaws (Article VIII, Section 7) provide that “A special meeting also shall be
called by the President General upon the written request of thirty or more chapters in at
least ten states.” - What’s the difference between a special meeting and a special convention?
Special meetings can be held by different types of bodies (e.g., boards, general
assemblies, conventions). The membership meetings of DAR are conventions, so the
special meetings of the membership of DAR are special conventions. A special
convention is a special meeting, so a special membership meeting of DAR can accurately
be called both a “special meeting” and “a special convention,” since it is both. - What is the duty of the President General in regard to calling a special meeting that
has been requested by the chapters?
The President General has the duty, as prescribed in The Bylaws, to call a special meeting
whenever directed to do so by the required number of chapters. This duty prescribed in
The Bylaws is not optional. - What does “call” mean in parliamentary law?
“The call of a meeting is a written notice of its time and place that is sent to all members
of the organization a reasonable time in advance.” – RONR (12th ed.) 1:7 - Does the President General have the authority to decline to call a special meeting
that has been requested by the chapters?
No, The Bylaws direct the President General to call a special meeting when requested by
the required number of chapters. The President General does not have the option of
ignoring or countermanding The Bylaws. - When does the President General have to call the special meeting that has been
requested by the chapters?
The Bylaws (Article VIII, Section 7) provide that “A special meeting also shall be called
by the President General upon the written request of thirty or more chapters in at least ten
states.” - Does the provision regarding “not less than thirty days’ notice” mean that the
President General is not required to call the meeting until thirty days before the
actual meeting?
No, The Bylaws provide that the meeting shall be called upon the request. The minimum
number of days’ notice required has nothing whatsoever to do with when the call shall be
issued. It serves only to establish the earliest date after the call has been issued that the
meeting may be held. - Who decides the time and place of the special meeting?
Those with the authority to determine that a special meeting shall be held also determine,
at the same time, the details of the special meeting, such as the date, location, and
business to be considered. - Was the special meeting requested for October 11, 2026, held by the Daughters of
the American Revolution on June 26, 2026?
No, the October 11, 2026, special meeting cannot be held in June. Also, a special meeting
cannot be held during Continental Congress, which is a regular session. There was no
special meeting of DAR held on June 26, 2026. Meetings of the regular convention of the
135th Continental Congress, were held from June 24, 2026 through June 28, 2026,
including June 26, 2026. - Can a special meeting be held between meetings of Continental Congress?
No, a special meeting is a separate session that his held at a different time than a regular
session. While a regular session is going on, a special session cannot be held. Continental
Congress is the regular session of DAR. Any special session of DAR would have to beheld before or after the regular session, not during it. - Does DAR have different definitions than Robert’s Rules of Order for the terms
“session” and “meeting”?
No, The Bylaws use of the term “meeting” comports with Robert’s Rules of Order. The
Bylaws do not contain the term “session,” but, of course, they do prescribe Robert’s Rules
of Order as the official parliamentary authority, thereby adopting its definitions. - Does the fact that Continental Congress considered and voted on the Resolution that
is to be considered at the special meeting affect the President General’s duty to call
the special meeting?
No, consideration of a resolution at one session does not affect chapters’ rights to have a
special meeting held to consider that resolution, nor does it affect the President General’s
duty to issue the call of a special meeting requested by the required number of chapters. - Is the cost of a special meeting a factor in whether or not it should be called?
No, cost plays no role in the President General’s duty of calling a special meeting. - What recourse does the association have if its President General refuses to perform
her duties under the bylaws in regard to calling the special meeting?
The first step, with a view to peacefully ameliorating the violation of The Bylaws and the
infringement upon chapters’ and members’ rights, is to ensure that the President General
is clear on her duty under The Bylaws, followed by alerting the First Vice President
General, the National Board of Management, and the individual members of the NBM of
the President General’s failure to perform her duties. These types of infringements on
chapters’ rights and members’ rights should be handled fully in the light, so that the full
membership is aware of the duty prescribed in The Bylaws that is being neglected and the
effect such neglect is having on the rights of members and chapters.
If members’ rights continue to be violated and attempts to thwart the fair and democratic
process persist to the detriment of the organization, the logical next step is the removal of
the derelict officer from office. - Is it in order for a motion that was defeated at Continental Congress to be
considered again at a later special meeting?
Yes, any motion that is still applicable can be renewed at any later session. Defeat at one
session does not prevent a motion from being made anew at a later session. - Does making an item of business The Special Order for a meeting count as holding a
special meeting to consider that item of business?
No, the two are completely unrelated. Making a motion the special order inside a meeting
of a regular convention does not make that meeting a special convention. The concept of
a special convention being held within a regular convention is absurd. - If a special meeting is called and held in accordance with The Bylaws, at the request
of thirty chapters in at least ten states, to consider a resolution and that resolution is
defeated at that special meeting, would the President General still have the duty to
call another special meeting for a later date, if thirty chapters in ten states requested
another meeting for the same purpose as the first meeting?
Absolutely. There is no prohibition against the calling of a special meeting for the same
purpose as that of a previous special meeting. The thirty chapters can even be chapters
who originally requested the first special meeting. - Can the President General determine that the resolution is not in order and
therefore not call the special meeting?
No. Only the chairman of the meeting, inside the meeting, can rule a motion out of order,
which is subject to an immediate appeal by the assembly. The President General does not
have the authority to rule a resolution out of order outside of a meeting. - When the required number of chapters request a special meeting to be held on a
particular date, in accordance with The Bylaws, can the President General call a
Special Meeting for a different date, and would such a meeting satisfy the President
General’s duty to call the Special Meeting?
No. The President General is NOT authorized to call a different special meeting than the
one directed to be called by the chapters, and the unauthorized calling of such a meeting
would have no effect on the President General’s duty to properly call the meeting that
was authorized. - Was the Resolution placed on the agenda for the 135th Continental Congress as a
parliamentary mechanism of the chapters’ written request for a Special Meeting or
as a mechanism of the President General’s call of a Special Meeting?
No, the resolution was not placed on the agenda by either of these methods, which are not
valid methods for placing an item on an agenda. The resolution was placed on the agenda
for the 135th Continental Congress when the delegates at the 135th Continental Congress
adopted the proposed agenda for the 135th Continental Congress. It’s appearance on the
agenda was not created by the chapters’ request for a special meeting or by the President General’s calling of a special meeting. - During a ballot vote, are members allowed to enter and exit the meeting?
Yes, absolutely. The only notable restriction on entering and leaving the meeting hall
during a vote would be during a counted rising vote, in which case members are
instructed not to enter or exit the meeting hall for the brief period required to count those
who are standing. Preventing a member of the assembly from attending (entering or reentering)
the meeting or from voting could render the vote null and void.
DISCLAIMER
This opinion is based on Common Parliamentary Law, which deals with the established
principles of parliamentary procedure relating to the fair and orderly transaction of business
in deliberative assemblies and the protection of the rights of members, and which is a
separate field from federal, state, and local law. This is not a legal opinion, and nothing in
this opinion is intended to be legal advice or legal counsel. An attorney should be consulted
in regards to any legal questions.
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