BAS Rules and Constitution

14 Brisbane Astronomical Society Inc. publicly visible page on the Association’s website. Notice of a general meeting shall clearly state the nature of the business to be discussed thereat. 23. Unless otherwise provided by these Rules, at every general meeting—  (1) the President shall preside as Chairperson, or if there is no President, or if he or she is not present within fifteen minutes after the time appointed for the holding of the meeting or is unwilling to act, the Vice-President shall be the Chairperson or if the Vice-President is not present or is unwilling to act then the members present shall elect one of their number to be Chairperson of the meeting;  (2) the Chairperson shall maintain order and conduct the meeting in a proper and orderly manner;  (3) every question, matter or resolution shall be decided by a majority of votes of the members present;  (4) every member present shall be entitled to one vote and in the case of an equality of votes the Chairperson shall have a second or casting vote: Provided that no member shall be entitled to vote at any general meet- ing if his or her annual subscription is more than one month in arrears at the date of the meeting;  (5) voting shall be by show of hands or a division of members, unless not less than one-fifth of the members present demand a ballot, in which event there shall be a secret ballot. The Chairperson shall appoint two members to conduct the secret ballot in such manner as he or she shall determine and the result of the ballot as declared by the Chairperson shall be deemed to be the resolution of the meeting at which the ballot was demanded;  (6) a member may vote in person or by proxy or by attorney and on a show of hands every person present who is a member or a representative of a member shall have one vote and in a secret ballot every member present in person or by proxy or by attorney or other duly authorised represen­ tative shall have one vote;  (7) the instrument appointing a proxy shall be in writing, in the common or usual form under the hand of the appointor or of his or her attorney duly authorised in writing or, if the appointor is a corporation, either under seal or under the hand of an officer or attorney duly authorised. A proxy may but need not be a member of the Association. The instru- ment appointing a proxy shall be deemed to confer authority to demand or join in demanding a secret ballot;