Legal Definitions - yeas and nays

The term "yeas and nays" refers to the formal recording of votes cast for (yeas) and against (nays) a proposal, motion, or bill within a decision-making body. It provides a clear and official tally of how many members supported and how many opposed a particular measure, often used in legislative assemblies, committees, or other deliberative groups.

• Example 1: City Council Meeting

  Imagine a local city council is debating a proposal to rezone a specific area for commercial development. After extensive discussion, the council president calls for a vote. Each council member is asked to state "yea" if they approve the rezoning or "nay" if they oppose it. The city clerk meticulously records each member's vote, counting the total number of "yeas" and "nays" to determine if the proposal passes or fails. This formal count of affirmative and negative votes constitutes the "yeas and nays" for that particular motion.

• Example 2: Corporate Board Resolution

  Consider a situation where the board of directors for a major corporation is voting on a resolution to approve a significant merger with another company. When the chairman calls for the vote, each director publicly declares their stance, saying "yea" if they support the merger or "nay" if they believe it's not in the company's best interest. The corporate secretary then compiles these individual declarations into a final tally of "yeas" and "nays," which becomes the official record of the board's decision on the merger.

• Example 3: Professional Association Bylaw Amendment

  Suppose a national professional association is holding its annual general meeting, and members are asked to vote on a proposed amendment to their organizational bylaws. The presiding officer initiates the vote, and each voting member announces "yea" to endorse the amendment or "nay" to reject it. The association's secretary records these responses, creating a definitive count of the "yeas and nays" to establish whether the bylaw amendment has received the necessary majority support to be adopted.