Balloting/Handling
Negative Votes
ASTM Virtual Training Session
Robert Morgan Christine DeJong
Rick Lake
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

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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

Purpose of Subcommittee Ballot
 New Standards
 Major Revisions
6
Subcommittee Ballot
Qualifications

Authorization of Subcommittee Ballots
Sub chairman
 Motion at Meeting
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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
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My ASTM
10
My Ballots
11
Closed Ballots/Closing Report
12
Closing Report
13
Negatives
14
Affirmative with Comments
15
Subcommittee Ballot Results

Considering Ballot Results
 Disposition of Negatives
 Comments
16
Six Resolutions of a Negative
Vote

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Persuasive
Withdrawn
Withdrawn with Editorial Change(s)
Not Related
Not Persuasive
Previously Considered
17
Persuasive

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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
18
Withdrawn

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
Withdrawn by the voter
May withdraw negative at any time
Ballot item moves forward
19
Withdrawn with Editorial
Change

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
Withdrawn by the voter/agreed as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
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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
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The Main Committee
Ballot
22
Initiation of Main
Committee Ballots

Submittal Requirements
Results of subcommittee ballot
 Name and affiliation of negative voters
 Negative voters statements
 Subcommittee negative resolution
including rationale
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Open for 30 Days
Simultaneous with Society Review
23
Concurrent Ballots


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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
Simultaneous with Society Review
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Qualifications for Valid Main
Committee / Concurrent
Ballots



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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
25
Society Review

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In Tandem with Main Committee
Ballot
Notifications posted on ASTM
Website
Requirements

Disposition of All Negatives
26
Society Review
27
Committee on Standards (COS)

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9 Member Group Representing ASTM
Committees
Due Process
Appeals Based on Procedural Matters
(NOT Technical)
COS Ballot Procedures
Final Approval
28
The Three-Step Approach to
Handling Negative Votes
1.
2.
3.
Communication
Consideration
Documentation
29
Communication/Consideration/
Documentation
1.
2.
3.
Communication – Meeting agendas, minutes,
correspondence, direct contact between
member & negative voter and other
documentation
Consideration –Both subcommittee and main
committee at a meeting or via ballot
Documentation – Resolution forms, online
tools, minutes, correspondence
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My Tools: Negatives
31
Open or Unresolved Ballots
32
Negatives and Comments
33
Negatives and Comments: Status
34
Resolution Options
35
Single vote ‘Not Persuasive’ Ruling
36
Disposition of a Negative
37
Negative
Resolution
Forms
38
Helpful Hints
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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
39
More Hints
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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
40
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.
41