Balloting/Handling Negative
Votes
September 2012
ASTM Officers Training Workshop
Dan Smith & Kelly Paul
1
General Overview of
Different Levels of Balloting
The Committee on Standards (COS)
Main Committee Ballot / Society Review
Subcommittee Ballot
2
Balance
and
Voting vs. Non Voting
Status
3
Balance of Interest
Producer
ASTM
User
&
General Interest
Technical Committees are balanced.
No excess influence by any interest group.
4
Voting Rights - Voting vs. Non-Voting
 1 official vote per interest (company)
 All are welcome to participate in technical
discussions
 All members receive a ballot and are eligible to
vote on technical issues
 All negatives are considered the same way
5
Subcommittee Ballot
Subcommittee Ballot
• New Standards
• Major Revisions
6
Subcommittee Balloting
 Authorization of Subcommittee Ballots
• Sub chairman
•
Motion at Meeting
 Cover Letter
 Ballot Open for Minimum of 30 Days
 Qualifications for Valid Subcommittee Ballot – 60% return
and 2/3 affirmative
 Late Ballot Returns Forwarded for Information
7
Sub Ballot
Notification Email
8
Subcommittee Ballot Results
 Ballot Results Summary
• Negatives and Comments are posted online with 24 hour
updates.
• Closing Report includes links to all the comments and
negatives
• Posted on the ASTM website
9
My ASTM
10
My Ballots
11
Closed Ballots/Closing
Report
12
Closing Report
13
Negatives
14
Affirmative with
Comment
15
Six Resolutions of a Negative Vote
 Persuasive
 Withdrawn
 Withdrawn with Editorial Change(s)
 Not Related
 Not Persuasive
 Previously Considered
16
Persuasive
 General Agreement
 Lack of a “not persuasive” motion
 A “not persuasive” motion fails (does not achieve a
2/3 affirmative)
 Item is removed from ballot
17
Withdrawn
 Withdrawn by the voter
 May withdraw negative at any time
 Ballot item moves forward
18
Withdrawn with Editorial Change
 Withdrawn by the voter/agreed as editorial
 Editorial change introduces no change in
technical content, but corrects typos or reduces
ambiguity
 If editorial changes are involved, please include
for next level of balloting
19
Not Persuasive/Not
Related/Previously Considered
 Motion/Second/Rationale
 2/3 affirmative vote at a meeting or via ballot
 Negatives that are determined not related must
be addressed as items of new business
20
The Main Committee Ballot
21
Initiation of Main Committee Ballots
 Submittal Requirements
• Cover letter
• Results of subcommittee ballot
• Name and affiliation of negative voters
• Negative voters statements
• Subcommittee negative resolution including rationale
 Open for 30 Days
 Simultaneous with Society Review
22
Concurrent Ballots
 Balloting Subcommittee and Main Committee at the same
time
 Used for Minor Revisions / New Standards or Major
Revisions that have been balloted at least once before
 Same requirements as Main Committee Ballot
23
Qualifications for Valid Main
Committee / Concurrent Ballots
 90% Affirmative of Combined Affirmative and Negative Votes
 60% Return
 Late Ballot Returns
 Closing Reports
 Final Ballot Results
• Disposition of Negatives
• Affirmative Votes w/ Comments
24
Society Review
 In Tandem with Main Committee Ballot
 Notifications posted on ASTM Website
 Requirements
• Disposition of All Negatives
25
Society Review
26
Committee on Standards (COS)
 9 Member Group Representing ASTM Committees
 Due Process
 Appeals Based on Procedural Matters (NOT
Technical)
 Final Approval
27
The Three-Step Approach to
Handling Negative Votes
1. Communication
2. Consideration
3. Documentation
28
Communication/Consideration/
Documentation
1.
Communication – Meeting agendas, minutes,
correspondence, direct contact between member &
negative voter and other documentation
2.
Consideration –Both subcommittee and main
committee at a meeting or via ballot
3.
Documentation – Online resolution, automated
notification of negative voter, minutes
29
My Tools: Negatives
30
Negatives and
Comments: Status
31
Resolution
Options
32
Resolution Options
Not Persuasive
Ruling
‘Not Persuasive’ Ruling
35
Helpful Hints
 Ballot controversial sections individually
 Use good judgment when balloting sections
separately
 Provide clear and informative cover letter for ballot
item(s)
 Try to contact the negative voter before the meeting
36
More Hints
 Address each portion of the negative vote in the
subcommittee’s consideration
 Submit editorially revised document with negative vote
resolution forms to ASTM staff
 Comments are intended for editorial issues or technical
items of new business
37
Thank you for your attention.
If you have any questions or would like to
discuss this topic in additional detail,
please contact your Committee Staff
Manager for assistance.
38