US council members abstain in a vote about abstaining from votes

No, really.

MEMBERS OF A CITY council in the United States have abstained in a vote which, if passed, would have barred them from abstaining from any more votes in future.

Councillors in Michigan were dealing with proposals that would have barred them from abstaining from motions put to their council.

Members of the Ypsilanti City Council would only have been able to avoid voting Yes or No if they had a financial or professional conflict.

Faced with the proposition of being barred from remaining neutral on any further issues, three of the six members did what they felt was the appropriate thing: abstained from the vote.

The remaining members voted 2-2 – but with the proposer’s own vote discounted from the result, the proposal was defeated.

Author

Gavan Reilly

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