ShereeScotto4 at 17:31, 25 March 2026

2026-03-25T17:31:43Z

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{{short description|Membership by virtue of holding a specific other position}}
{{redirect|Ex officio|the English court procedure|Ex officio oath{{!}}''Ex officio'' oath}}
{{italic title|string=Ex officio}}
An '''''ex officio'' member''' is a member of a body (notably a board, committee, or council) who is part of it by virtue of holding another office. The term ''[[List of Latin phrases (E)#ex officio|ex officio]]'' is [[Latin]], meaning literally 'from the office', and the sense intended is 'by right of office'; its use dates back to the [[Roman Republic]].

According to ''[[Robert's Rules of Order]]'', the term denotes only how one becomes a member of a body.<ref>{{Parliamentary manuals|title = RONR|edition = 11th|year = 2011|pages = 483–484}}(RONR)</ref> Accordingly, the rights of an ''ex officio'' member are exactly the same as other members unless otherwise stated in regulations or bylaws.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.robertsrules.com/faq.html#2 |title=Frequently Asked Questions about RONR (Question 2) |website=The Official Robert's Rules of Order Web Site |publisher=The Robert's Rules Association |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041112102258/http://www.robertsrules.com/faq.html |archive-date=2004-11-12 }}</ref> It relates to the notion that the position refers to the position the ex officio holds, rather than the individual that holds the position. In some groups, ''ex officio'' members may frequently abstain from voting.

Opposite notions are [[dual mandate]], when the same person happens to hold two offices or more, although these offices are not in themselves associated; and [[personal union]], when two states share the same monarch.

== For profit and nonprofit use ==
Any ''ex officio'' membership (for example, of committees, or of the board) is as defined by the nonprofit association's [[bylaws]] or other documents of authority. For example, the bylaws quite often provide that the organization's [[president (corporate title)|president]] will be ''ex officio'' a member of all committees, except the nominating committee.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.wianetwork.com/editorial/e-for-ex-officio |title=Ex Officio |website=WIA Network |author=WIAN Editorial Team |date=2025-03-28 |access-date=2025-10-15}}</ref>

==Political offices==
===Andorra===
The [[president of the French Republic]] and the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Urgell|Catholic Bishop of Urgell]] are by virtue of office (''ex officio'') appointed [[Co-Princes of Andorra]].

===Australia===
Within the [[Australia]]n political system, the [[Coalition (Australia)|Liberal–National Coalition]] is an [[parliamentary group|alliance]] of [[Centre-right politics|centre-right]] political parties that forms one of the two major groupings in [[Politics of Australia|Australian federal politics]]. The two major partners in the Coalition are the [[Liberal Party of Australia]] and the [[National Party of Australia]] with each partner being a stand-alone organisation that elects its own leadership. The [[Leader of the Liberal Party of Australia|leader of the Liberals]] generally serves as the ''ex officio'' Leader of the Coalition whereas the leader of the Nationals serves as the ''ex officio'' Deputy Leader of the Coalition.

In the above arrangement, when a Coalition is elected to government in [[States and territories of Australia|Australia or the countries States or territories]], convention is that the larger partner, usually the Liberals, hold the office of [[Prime Minister of Australia|Prime Minister]], [[Premiers and chief ministers of the Australian states and territories|Premier or Chief Minister]] whereas the smaller partner, usually the Nationals, hold office as the [[Deputy Prime Minister of Australia|Deputy Prime Minister]] or Deputy Premier. The respective offices are determined based on the size of the respective alliance partner and their independently of one another chosen leader.

The Coalition generally results in the Prime Minister or Premier from the respective jurisdiction being from a metropolitan area (the Liberals) and guarantees a rural or regional Deputy Prime Minister or Premier (from the Nationals). The Leader of the Nationals is usually given the right to choose his or her [[Australian Government|ministry within government]] by virtue of being the second-most senior position within the Coalition partnership.

===Botswana===
In Botswana's unicameral [[National Assembly of Botswana|National Assembly]], the [[president of Botswana]] and the [[Speaker of the National Assembly of Botswana|Speaker]] of the National Assembly serve as the chamber's two ''ex-officio'' members.<ref>{{cite web|title=FAQs|url=https://www.parliament.gov.bw/index.php/frequently-asked-questions#q1|quote= 2 are Ex-officios being the President and The Speaker.|website=parliament.gov.bw|publisher=Parliament of Botswana|access-date=12 January 2023}}</ref>

===Brazil===
In the [[Empire of Brazil]], some princes became members by right of the [[Federal Senate (Brazil)#History|Imperial Senate]] once they turned 25. In the current [[Constitution of Brazil]], the [[President of the Federal Senate (Brazil)|president of the Federal Senate]] is an ''ex officio'' president of the [[National Congress of Brazil|National Congress]], even though this office does not exist officially.

===Canada===
Judges of the Federal Court are ''ex officio'' members of the Federal Court of Appeal, and vice versa.<ref>[https://laws.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/F-7/section-5-20021231.html ''Federal Courts Act'', RSC 1985, c. F-7, §5(1)(c)]</ref>

===China===
The [[General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party]] is an ''ex officio'' member of the [[Politburo Standing Committee of the Chinese Communist Party|Politburo Standing Committee]] which is the top decision-making body in the [[Chinese Communist Party]] (CCP). The CCP General Secretary has also been the ''ex officio'' [[Chairman of the Central Military Commission (China)|Chairman of the CCP Central Military Commission]] since 1989.

====Hong Kong====
{{As of|2026|1|20}}, the [[Executive Council of Hong Kong|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 [[Principal officials of Hong Kong|secretaries of departments]], i.e. the [[Chief Secretary (Hong Kong)|Chief Secretary]], the [[Financial Secretary]] and the [[Secretary for Justice]]. Since 2002 all [[Principal officials of Hong Kong|secretaries of bureaux]] are also appointed by the [[Chief Executive (Hong Kong)|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.

===France===
Former presidents of the republic are ''ex officio'' members of the ''[[Conseil constitutionnel]]'' until death.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Member status |url=https://www.conseil-constitutionnel.fr/les-membres/statut-des-membres |access-date=2026-01-08 |website=Constitutional Council}}</ref>

===India===
The [[Vice-President of India]] is ''ex officio'' Chairman of [[Rajya Sabha]], the Upper House of the Indian Parliament.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://rajyasabha.nic.in/rsnew/about_parliament/rajya_sabha_introduction.asp |title=Rajya Sabha – An Introduction |work=Rajya Sabha Secretariat}}</ref>

The [[prime minister of India]] is ''ex officio'' Chairman of [[NITI Aayog]]. Other ''ex officio'' members of NITI Aayog are the [[Minister of Home Affairs (India)|Minister of Home Affairs]], the [[Minister of Finance (India)|Minister of Finance]], the [[Minister of Railways (India)|Minister of Railways]], and the [[Minister of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.niti.gov.in/content/constitution-5 |title=Constitution, NITI Aayog |work=[[NITI Aayog]]}}</ref>

===Italy===
Former [[President of Italy|presidents]] are ''ex officio'' [[Senator for life (Italy)|members for life]] of the [[Senate of the Republic (Italy)|Senate]].

===North Korea===
The [[General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea]] is an ''ex officio'' member of the [[Presidium of the Politburo of the Workers' Party of Korea|Presidium of the Politburo]], which is the top decision-making body in the [[Workers' Party of Korea]] (WPK). The WPK General Secretary is also the ''ex officio'' [[Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea|Chairman of the WPK Central Military Commission]].

=== Philippines ===
In [[Congress of the Philippines|Congress]], the presiding officers and their deputies, and the majority and minority leaders, are ''ex officio'' members of all committees. The chairman on each chamber's committee on rules is the majority leader. The [[President of the Senate of the Philippines|Senate President]] is the ''ex officio'' chairman of the [[Commission on Appointments]], but can only vote on ties. In the [[Judicial and Bar Council]], several positions are due to occupying another office.

In [[Sangguniang Panlalawigan|provincial boards]], the provincial presidents of the [[League of Barangays in the Philippines|League of Barangays]] (villages), [[Sangguniang Kabataan]] (youth councils) and of the [[Philippine Councilors League]] sit as ''ex officio'' board members. In [[Sangguniang Panlungsod|city]] and [[Sangguniang Bayan|municipal councils]], the city and municipal presidents of the League of Barangays and the youth councils sit as ''ex officio'' councilors. In barangays, the youth council chairman is an ''ex officio'' member of the [[Sangguniang Barangay|barangay council]]. The ''ex officio'' members have the same rights and privileges as the regular members of each legislature. The deputies of local chief executives (vice governors and vice mayors) are ''ex officio'' presiding officers of their respective legislatures, but [[Casting vote|can only vote when there is a tie]].

=== Russia ===
Russian [[Prime Minister of Russia|prime minister]], chairmans of [[State Duma]] and [[Federation Council (Russia)|Federation Council]], [[Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office (Russia)|chief of staff]] and heads of [[Political divisions of Russia|federal subjects]] are ''ex officio'' members of [[State Council (Russia)|State Council]] (an advisory body to the head of state). [[President of Russia]] is an ''ex officio'' chairman of it,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://en.kremlin.ru/structure/state-council/members|title=State Council structure|website=[[kremlin.ru]]}}</ref> as well as [[Security Council of Russia|Security Council]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://en.kremlin.ru/structure/security-council/members|title=Security Council structure|website=[[kremlin.ru]]}}</ref>

===United Kingdom===
====House of Lords====
{{main|Lords Spiritual|Hereditary peer}}

In the [[House of Lords]], the bishops of the five Great Sees of [[Canterbury]], [[York]], [[London]], [[Durham, England|Durham]], and [[Winchester]] are ''ex officio'' members, and are entitled to vote just as any other Lord Spiritual.

Formerly, anyone holding a title in the [[Peerage of the United Kingdom]] was ''ex officio'' a member of the House of Lords. This entitlement was [[House of Lords Act 1999|abolished in 1999]]. Since then, only the [[Earl Marshal]] and the [[Lord Great Chamberlain]] (offices that are themselves hereditary) remain ''ex officio''; another 90 hereditary peers are elected by and from among those eligible.

==== Prime ministers ====
The [[prime minister of the United Kingdom]] is ''ex officio'' the [[First Lord of the Treasury]].

==== Scotland ====
The [[Lord President of the Court of Session]] is by virtue of office appointed as Lord Justice General of Scotland. As such, they are both head of the [[judiciary of Scotland]], president of the [[Court of Session]] (the most senior [[civil law (common law)|civil court]] in [[Scotland]]), and president of the [[High Court of Justiciary]] (the most senior [[criminal justice|criminal court]] in Scotland).

===United States===

==== Federal government ====
The [[vice president of the United States]], who also serves as President of the [[United States Senate|Senate]], may vote in the Senate on matters decided by a [[majority vote]] (as opposed to a three-fifths vote or [[two-thirds vote]]), if the votes for passage and rejection are equally divided.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/articles/article-i|title=The 1st Article of the U.S. Constitution|publisher=[[National Constitution Center]]|language=en|access-date=2019-04-03|archive-date=2023-07-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230722195536/https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/articles/article-i|url-status=dead}}</ref> Also the leader of the parties in both houses are ''ex officio'' members of the [[United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence|House]] and [[United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence|Senate intelligence committees]]. Many committee chairs in the House of Representatives are [[United States congressional subcommittee#Service on subcommittees|''ex officio'' members of subcommittees]].

==== Colorado ====
In most [[Colorado]] counties, the county [[Sheriffs in the United States#Colorado|sheriff]] is elected by the citizens of the county. However, in the [[City and County of Denver]], the mayor of Denver appoints a "Manager of Safety" who oversees the Department of Safety (including the Fire, Police, and Sheriff Departments) and is the ''ex officio'' sheriff of the jurisdiction. Similarly, in the [[City and County of Broomfield, Colorado]], near Denver, the police chief (an appointed position) also acts ''ex officio'' as the county sheriff.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.broomfield.org/police|title=Broomfield Police Department | City and County of Broomfield - Official Website}}</ref>

==== New York City ====
The Speaker of the [[New York City Council]], and its Majority and Minority Leaders, are all ''ex officio'' members of each of its committees. Furthermore, each member of the Council is a non-voting ''ex officio'' member of each [[Community boards of New York City|community board]] whose boundaries include any of the council member's constituents.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nyclaws.readthedocs.io/nycchapter/c70/|title=Chapter 70—City Government in the Community—NYC Laws 0.0.1 documentation|publisher=nyclaws.readthedocs.io|access-date=2020-01-21|archive-date=2022-04-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220408071000/https://nyclaws.readthedocs.io/nycchapter/c70/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Vietnam===
The [[General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam]] is the ''ex officio'' [[Secretary of the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of Vietnam|Secretary of the Central Military Commission]], making the officeholder ''de facto'' [[commander-in-chief]] of the [[People's Army of Vietnam]].

== Catholic Church example ==

=== Portugal ===
The [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Coimbra|Bishop of Coimbra]] is by virtue of office (''ex officio'') entitled to the [[Count of Arganil|Countship of Arganil]], a title they have never renounced after Portugal became a republic.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Bureaucratic organization]]
[[Category:Organizational structure]]

Ex officio member - Revision history

ShereeScotto4 at 17:31, 25 March 2026