Rules for the Detention Business Meeting

The rules for the Detention (the 1959 Worldcon) WSFS business meeting were published in Detention's PR #4.

Note that site selection (which at that time was done entirely at the convention with no mail ballot) was by far the most important part of the business meeting -- "other matters" would be considered on Monday evening, basically at closing ceremony. Note also that the business meeting was held in the main program room and was the only program event going on.

17th World Science Fiction Convention

RULES

For The Business Meetings

The meeting to decide where to hold the 1960 World Science Fiction Convention will convene one-half (1/2) hour after the Banquet in the general meeting room.

Any city in the eastern zone -- as defined in the generally accepted rotation plan -- or outside the North American continent, may be nominated at that time, providing that the persons making the nomination be known fans or known to be associated with Science-fantasy or fandom. Any nomination challenged for this reason can be disqualified by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of those present in the meeting room, following debate.

It shall be assumed that all of those attending the Convention who are interested in voting on the 1960 Convention site will be present in the meeting room; therefore no specific quorum will be required.

Each nomination will be permitted a total of twenty-five (25) minutes actual speaking time, to be divided among nominating and seconding speakers according to the wishes of the group sponsoring that nomination. At least one "second" (though not necessarily a speech) must be made to each nomination.

The doors of the meeting room will remain open during the nomination period, and persons will be permitted to enter or leave as they desire. However, five minutes after the nominations have concluded and following warnings over the loudspeaker system, the doors will be closed and will remain closed until the 1960 Convention site has been named.

Voting shall be by written ballot. If no single city receives a majority of the votes cast in the first ballot, the city which received the least number of votes will be stricken from the list to be considered in the second ballot.This process will be continued until one city receives a majority of the votes cast, and is declared the winner.

By this vote, the group sponsoring the nomination of the city decided upon, will be given and shall assume the responsibility of organizing and managing the 1960 World Science Fiction Convention.

The meeting will be conducted informally. However, if any matter of procedure is challenged, Robert's Rules of Order shall be taken as the standard authority, except where said rules conflict with the rules as outlined above.

Monday evening the Business meeting will consider any other matters of business pertinent to the Convention which any member of the Convention wishes to propose from the floor. Proposals must be handed to any member of the Convention Committee by Sunday evening September 6th at 6 P.M. At this meeting a full financial report will be given. And the gavel will be handed to the city that has been selected as the 1960 World Science Fiction Convention Site.