Montana Code 35-2-421. Removal of directors elected by members or directors
35-2-421. Removal of directors elected by members or directors. (1) The members may remove one or more directors elected by them without cause.
Terms Used In Montana Code 35-2-421
- articles: include amended and restated articles of incorporation and articles of merger. See Montana Code 35-2-114
- board of directors: means the board of directors except that a person or group of persons is not the board of directors because of powers delegated to that person or group pursuant to 35-2-414. See Montana Code 35-2-114
- Bylaws: means the code, codes, or rules, other than the articles, adopted pursuant to this chapter for the regulation or management of the affairs of the corporation, regardless of the name or names by which the code, codes, or rules are designated. See Montana Code 35-2-114
- Class: refers to a group of memberships that have the same rights with respect to voting, dissolution, redemption, and transfer. See Montana Code 35-2-114
- Directors: means individuals:
(a)designated in the articles or bylaws or elected by the incorporators and their successors; and
(b)elected or appointed by any other name or title to act as members of the board. See Montana Code 35-2-114
- Notice: means that term as described in 35-2-115. See Montana Code 35-2-114
- Person: includes any individual or entity. See Montana Code 35-2-114
- State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Montana Code 1-1-201
- voting: includes but is not limited to the giving of consent in the form of a record provided electronically or by written ballot and written consent. See Montana Code 35-2-114
(2)If a director is elected by a class, chapter, or other organizational unit or by region or other geographic grouping, the director may be removed only by the members of that class, chapter, unit, or grouping.
(3)Except as provided in subsection (9), a director may be removed under subsection (1) or (2) only if the number of votes cast to remove the director would be sufficient to elect the director at a meeting to elect directors.
(4)If cumulative voting is authorized, a director may not be removed:
(a)if the number of votes sufficient to elect the director under cumulative voting is voted against the director’s removal; or
(b)if the director was elected by a class, chapter, unit, or grouping of members and the number of votes of that class, chapter, unit, or grouping of members sufficient to elect the director under cumulative voting is voted against the director’s removal.
(5)A director elected by members may be removed by the members only at a meeting called for the purpose of removing the director. The meeting notice must state that the purpose or one of the purposes of the meeting is removal of the director.
(6)In computing whether a director is protected from removal under subsections (2) through (4), it should be assumed that the votes against removal are cast in an election for the number of directors of the class to which the director to be removed belonged on the date of that director’s election.
(7)An entire board of directors may be removed under subsections (1) through (5).
(8)A director elected by the board may be removed without cause by the vote of two-thirds of the directors then in office or by a greater number as is set forth in the articles or bylaws. However, a director elected by the board to fill the vacancy of a director elected by the members may be removed without cause by the members, but not the board.
(9)If, at the beginning of a director’s term on the board, the articles or bylaws provide that the director may be removed for missing a specified number of board meetings, the board may remove the director for failing to attend the specified number of meetings. The director may be removed only if a majority of the directors then in office vote for the removal.
(10)The articles or bylaws of a religious corporation may:
(a)limit the application of this section; and
(b)set forth the vote and procedures by which the board or any person may remove with or without cause a director elected by the members of the board.