Ex-officio member

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An ex-officio member is a member of a body (a board, committee, council, etc.) who is part of it by virtue of holding another office. Depending on the particular body, such a member may or not have the power to vote in the body's decisions.

The term is Latin, meaning literally "from the office", and the sense intended is "by right of office"; its use dates back to the Roman Republic

1 Hong Kong
2 New York City
3 Italy
4 Ex-officio members who never may vote
5 Ex-officio members who sometimes may vote

[edit] Hong Kong

As of 2007, the Executive Council of Hong Kong is still composed of ex-officio members (official members since 1997) and unofficial members (non-official members since 1997). By practice the ex-officio members include the secretaries of departments, i.e. the Chief Secretary, the Financial Secretary and the Secretary for Justice. Since 2002 all secretaries of bureaux are also appointed by the Chief Executive to be official members of the Executive Council. But since 2005 the secretaries of bureaux attend only when items on the agenda concern their portfolios.

Apart from the Executive Council ex-officio members are also appointed to advisory commissions and committees, as well as statutory boards.

[edit] New York City

The Speaker of the Council, and its Majority and Minority Leaders are all ex officio members of each of its committees.

[edit] Italy

The Italian Senate has former presidents of the Republic, and some appointees by the President, as ex-officio members.

[edit] Ex-officio members who never may vote

Each member of the city council of New York City is a non-voting ex-officio members of each Community Board whose boundaries include some of the council member's constituents.