The correct approach is to keep it simple. Agree that everything in the Voting Rights section of the Bylaws is a "voting right", and is therefore protected by the requirement that any change must be approved by the membership.
Now in case you have not yet read about the birthday issue, let me explain. The ONLY reason given to make any change to the 30-day clause only comes into play if the Board establishes a minimum voting age. If the Board chooses to do that, any change to the 30-day clause is still completely optional. If a voting age is established, the reason to consider amending the 30-day clause would be to allow someone whose "coming of age" birthday is less than 30 days before a membership vote to participate in that election. Under the current language, if there is a minimum voting age, one's "coming of age" birthday to qualify for membership would need to be at least 30 days before an election in order to vote. It is simply a matter of where the deadline falls.
If a voting age is established and members want to allow someone whose "coming of age" birthday is less than 30 days before a membership vote to participate in that election, then the 30-day clause needs to be slightly altered to allow that to happen.
So, what are the straightforward and transparent courses of action available?
-
Do Nothing.
The Board has not established a voting age, so there is no need to do anything. If the Board does set a minimum voting age, the deadline to participate in an election for youth just reaching the age to qualify for membership would be that their birthday is at least 30 days before an election. -
Ask the Membership to Delete the 30-Day Clause
If the Board thinks the 30-day clause should not be a voting right, simply ask the members to approve deleting the 30-day clause from the voting section of the Bylaws. -
Ask the Members to Amend the 30-Day Clause to Read:
"All members whose membership application was submitted at least 30 days prior to the date of a membership vote shall be entitled to cast one vote on any issue brought before the membership."With this language, if no voting age is established, the Bylaws continue to function just as they always have, no change. If the Board does establish a voting age, this allows for a process to be established by which someone "coming of age" to join and vote could apply before their birthday and qualify to participate in the upcoming election. In other words, this language preserves the 30-day clause as a voting right, works with or without a voting age and accomplishes the ONLY goal that has been expressed for altering the 30-day clause at all.