By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice
When your bylaws mention gender 47 times and Robert’s Rules is 816 pages long, what could possibly go wrong?
David Hogg says the Democratic National Committee (DNC) is trying to “fast-track” his removal as vice chair. The party insists it’s just following procedure. But veteran parliamentarian Gregory Carlson says what happened may violate one of the most basic principles of Robert’s Rules of Order – you can’t go back and undo a vote after the meeting is over.
“Usually, you can’t overturn something that’s already happened on procedural grounds,” Carlson said. “You have to challenge it at the time that it’s happening.”
A procedural cleanup – or political hit job?
Back in February, Hogg and Pennsylvania state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta were elected to serve as DNC vice chairs. But in May, the party’s Credentials Committee reversed the election, siding with a complaint that accused party officials of improperly combining two vice chair positions into a single ballot.
That ballot pairing, the complaint claimed, violated the DNC’s gender-parity rules – and disadvantaged female candidates.
The committee framed the decision as a procedural correction, not a political act. While emphasizing that he could not speak to the DNC’s internal dynamics, Carlson acknowledged the timing raised questions.
“You do wonder if some of the people were motivated not by the procedure element of it, but by dissatisfaction with David Hogg.”
What Robert’s Rules says about timing
Carlson is one of just 360 people in the country certified at the highest level by the National Association of Parliamentarians. He’s been advising Colorado’s GOP through some of its most turbulent internal conflicts, but said most organizations would address election disputes in real time – not months later.
Under Robert’s Rules, any challenge to an election process must be made during the meeting itself. Once the vote is taken and the meeting is adjourned, the outcome stands – unless the organization has a specific bylaw or rule that allows it to revisit the issue.
“If you’re going to make a point of order, it must be timely,” Carlson said.
The current edition of Robert’s Rules makes that clear: “A point of order must be made at the time of the breach… or it is considered too late.” The 816-page manual is used by most political bodies across the country, including the Democrat Party itself.
That principle exists for a reason. As Carlson explained, “It means that if there’s a problem, you have to fix it then and there while everyone’s there. And it’s not some committee later on that tries to figure it out with less evidence and less people.”
Complex rules, unintended consequences
The DNC’s argument hinges on a rule requiring gender balance in officer elections. According to its charter, certain vice chair roles must alternate by gender or be “as equally divided as practicable.”
Carlson doesn’t dispute that this kind of rule can be legitimate. But in this case, he said, the complexity of the DNC’s rules may have created the very procedural confusion that was later used to justify reversing the election.
“Their bylaws are filled with gender alternation clauses,” he said. “Page after page of it. I looked at page 6 of their charter and bylaws. There’s just rule after rule about gender… The word ‘gender’ is mentioned 47 times.”
Carlson emphasized that his role isn’t to weigh in on the politics of gender. But as a parliamentarian, he sees what can go wrong when rules become so layered that they lose their purpose.
“My opinion is you should make your rules as short and simple as possible, and that way everybody understands them and people don’t try to use the rules as weapons,” he said.
The DNC’s bylaws suggest just how tangled that system has become. One section states: “The membership of the Democratic National Committee… shall be as equally divided as practicable between men and women (determined by gender self-identification)… In the case of gender non-binary delegates… the remainder of the delegation shall be equally divided” (Charter, Article Nine, Section 15).
Another requires that “the President of the College Democrats of America and the Vice President… shall be of another gender” (Charter, Article Three, Section 2[m]).
Similar gender alternation clauses appear throughout the document – affecting everything from state chairs and youth caucuses to municipal representatives and advisory groups.
“They’re trying to operationalize complex identity formulas through procedural rules,” Carlson said. “That kind of complexity opens the door to mistakes – or to disputes.”
Advice from the referee
Carlson doesn’t take sides in party fights. He sees himself as a neutral referee – and he’s been trusted by groups across the political spectrum, from grassroots activists to international sports organizations.
In addition to political parties, Carlson also serves major national conferences, professional associations and nonprofits – advising them on elections, dispute resolution and structural reforms. This summer, he’s set to fly across the country for a national sports organization’s convention.
Without commenting on any individual’s role, Carlson pointed to the real issue.
“I’m sure they had a parliamentarian helping them,” he said. “That’s why I think the problem is with the process and the rules. In addition,” Carlson added, “a parliamentarian is only an advisor and the organization itself interprets and acts on its rules. This is another reason why complex rules can lead to disputes.”
“Meetings are messy. That’s why rules exist – to keep decisions stable after the dust settles,” he added. “That’s why you prepare. That’s why you keep the rules clear.”
Whether or not David Hogg is reinstated, the larger question looms: Does process still matter?
Or has parliamentary procedure – like so much else in modern politics – become just another tool for those already in power?
If nothing else, Carlson’s final recommendation is one both parties should heed: “Fix your bylaws. Make them simple. And follow them while the meeting is still happening.”
Carlson, who works with organizations across the country to keep meetings fair and functional, welcomes inquiries at [email protected] or 719-371-5079.