Votes, how taken
When a government group votes on something, each member's vote must be written down — whether they said yes, no, or didn't vote. Any votes taken in a closed (private) meeting must be done by roll call, where each person's name is called. All public meetings and records must be open for anyone to see and copy. Members of an all-elected government group must be there in person or on video to vote. If there is an emergency, some members can join by phone or internet as long as more than half are physically there — and the reason for the emergency must be written in the meeting notes.
*610.015. Votes, how taken. — Except as provided in section 610.021, rules Article III of the Missouri Constitution and as otherwise provided by law, all votes shall be , and if a is taken, as to attribute each "yea" and "nay" vote, or if not voting, to the name of the individual member of the . Any votes taken during a shall be taken by roll call. All public meetings shall be open to the public and public votes and public records shall be open to the public for inspection and duplication. All votes taken by roll call in meetings of a public governmental body consisting of members who are all elected, except for the Missouri and any committee established by a public governmental body, shall be cast by members of the public governmental body who are physically present and in attendance at the meeting or who are participating via . When it is necessary to take votes by roll call in a meeting of the public governmental body, due to an emergency of the , with a of the members of the public body physically present and in attendance and less than a quorum of the members of the public governmental body participating via telephone, , internet, or any other voice or , the nature of the emergency of the public body justifying that departure from the normal requirements shall be stated in the minutes. Where such emergency exists, the votes taken shall be regarded as if all members were physically present and in attendance at the meeting.
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Source & history notes
(L. 1973 S.B. 1 § 2, A.L. 1987 S.B. 2, A.L. 1993 H.B. 170, A.L. 1998 H.B. 1095, A.L. 2004 S.B. 1020, et al., A.L. 2013 S.B. 170) *Effective 10-11-13, see § 21.250. S.B. 170 was vetoed July 2, 2013. The veto was overridden on September 11, 2013.
Legal information, not legal advice. Always confirm with the official source at revisor.mo.gov.