These standing orders govern all democratic votes conducted by Brighton & Hove Housing Coalition. They were adopted by member vote and may only be amended by a two-thirds supermajority.
1. Definitions
1.1 "The Coalition"
Brighton & Hove Housing Coalition, a resident-led campaign group operating in Brighton & Hove.
1.2 "Active Member"
Any person on the current coalition membership register who has engaged with coalition activity in the preceding 6 months.
1.3 "Motion"
A formal proposal put to the membership for a binding or advisory decision.
1.4 "Quorum"
The minimum number of votes required for a motion result to be binding: 15% of active members.
1.5 "Member Token"
A unique alphanumeric string issued to each active member by the secretary, used to authenticate votes.
2. Eligibility to Vote
2.1
Only active members holding a current member token are eligible to vote.
2.2
Each active member has one vote per motion. Proxy voting is not permitted.
2.3
Members with a direct material conflict of interest in a motion must declare this to the chair and are encouraged to abstain.
3. Proposing Motions
3.1
Any active member may propose a motion. A motion requires a proposer and a seconder, both of whom must be active members.
3.2
Motions must be submitted in writing to the secretary with a clear statement of purpose, proposed action, and supporting rationale.
3.3
The chair may decline to admit a motion that is unlawful, defamatory, or procedurally invalid. Such decisions are subject to appeal at the next general meeting.
3.4
Emergency motions may be fast-tracked by the chair with 48 hours notice in writing to all active members.
4. Consultation Period
4.1
All motions must enter a consultation period of no less than 7 days before voting opens.
4.2
During consultation, members may submit written comments and proposed amendments to the secretary.
4.3
Accepted amendments are incorporated into the final motion text before voting opens. Amendments require a separate proposer and seconder.
5. Voting Period
5.1
The voting period must be no less than 7 days and no more than 21 days.
5.2
All active members are notified of the opening of voting by email and via the coalition website.
5.3
Voting is conducted using the coalition's member token system. Votes are anonymous. The system records only the SHA-256 hash of each token to prevent duplicate voting.
5.4
Members may vote For, Against, or Abstain. Abstentions count toward quorum but not toward the outcome.
5.5
Votes cannot be changed after submission.
6. Quorum and Outcome
6.1
A motion is binding if quorum is met (15% of active members vote, including abstentions).
6.2
A motion passes if more than 50% of votes cast (excluding abstentions) are For.
6.3
Amendments to these standing orders require a two-thirds supermajority of votes cast.
6.4
If quorum is not met, the motion lapses. The proposer may re-submit at the next cycle.
7. Counting and Publication
7.1
Votes are tallied locally by the secretary using the coalition's tally script. The count must be witnessed by at least one other active member.
7.2
Results must be published on the coalition website within 48 hours of the close of voting.
7.3
Published results must state: total votes cast, For/Against/Abstain counts, quorum status, and the outcome.
7.4
All vote records are retained by the secretary for a minimum of 3 years.
8. Disputes and Appeals
8.1
Any member may raise a procedural dispute within 7 days of result publication by writing to the chair.
8.2
The chair will respond within 14 days. If the dispute is upheld, the vote may be re-run.
8.3
Disputes about the chair's conduct are referred to a panel of three senior members appointed by the general meeting.
Adoption Record
These Standing Orders were adopted by the Brighton & Hove Housing Coalition on 27 May 2026. Version 1.0. They supersede all previous informal voting procedures.
Amendments require two-thirds supermajority. Contact: info@housingcoalition.co.uk