PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE4

A Basic Guide to Meeting Procedures for Boards and

Groups

Many boards follow parliamentary procedures to accomplish their business

discussions and decisions. A review of parliamentary procedure follows.

Purpose of Parliamentary Procedure

Parliamentary procedure was developed by General Henry M. Robert during the
Civil War to bring order to officer meetings. The basic premise of Robert’s Rules of
Order is to protect each member’s rights, while seeing that the majority rules.
Parliamentary procedure is designed to accomplish one thing at a time, bringing
each to resolution before going on to the next, all the while seeing that courtesy is
extended to everyone.

Building the Agenda

Before each meeting, the Chair should create a detailed agenda. This includes the
regular procedures for the board such as call to order, any opening ceremonies
(pledge to the flag, etc.), reading of minutes, treasurer’s report, committee reports,
announcements, items of old business, items of new business, executive sessions,
breaks, next meeting date and location, and any other major items that should
come up during the meeting.

Questions to ask before the agenda would be:

Does the secretary have the minutes ready for approval?
Does the treasurer have a financial report ready to present?
Do any officers or standing committee chairs have actions to propose or reports to
make?
Are any special committee reports due? Will any actions be proposed? What are
they?
Were any agenda items not reached at the time the last meeting adjourned?
Was anything postponed to this meeting?
Does the annual planning calendar require that action be taken at this meeting?
What items will support the strategic direction? How does this meeting promote the
organization’s progress?
Have you kept your ear to the ground so there are no surprises?

There are five basic types of agenda:

Priority Agenda: Put the items that must be decided at this meeting early on
the agenda. Make sure that the most important items are considered
first, when everyone is fresh.

Subject-Based Agenda: Group similar subjects together so that you aren’t

constantly changing focus, such as: administrative, financial,
membership, etc.

4
Taylor, Bill, Northeast Area Community Development Educator, University of Wyoming
Cooperative Extension Service, July 2007.

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 Strategic Agenda: Group your decisions according to the goals of the board.
You can also create a strategic agenda for an entire meeting, retreat,
or time period.

Presiding Agenda: After the member’s agenda is prepared, make yourself a

separate agenda with notations about votes required, committee
appointments, etc. Leave extra space for notes and reminders.

Consent Agenda: The consent agenda is usually put near the start of the
meeting. It is actually part of the regular agenda and can be made up
of any number of items, but any item placed on the consent agenda
should be so uncontroversial that it can be reasonably expected that it
will be adopted with no debate or separate vote. The Chair calls up the
consent agenda by saying “the consent agenda is before you” and then
asks if anyone wants to remove anything. To do so, a member does
not need to be recognized; he just calls out the item number. The
Chair responds, “Item number x is removed.” When no more items are
removed, the Chair says: “Without objection, the remaining items on
the consent agenda will be adopted.” Remember: no debate or
separate vote is allowed on any item unless it is removed. If no one
objects, all items are adopted. Removed items are either taken up
right after the adoption of the consent agenda or are placed later on
the agenda under the heading where they would have otherwise
appeared. The approval of the minutes, routine matters, or motions
that have been discussed at previous meetings are good candidates for
a consent agenda.

It is often helpful to ask each person as they arrive if they have any agenda items
and to check with committee chairs to see if they have reports to be included.
Items of business brought up during committee reports can be handled immediately
after the report or added to the order of business during old and/or new business.

Often the agenda is put before the group as soon as the meeting is called to order
and the Chair asks for any changes, additions, or suggestions. The agenda can be
agreed to by consensus and it remains simply a suggested outline for the Chair.
However, if a motion is made and passed to approve the agenda, it becomes the
order of the day and must be followed unless a motion is passed to suspend the
order. If the “order of the day” is established and the group strays from this order
of business, any member may call for the “order of the day” and the Chair is
required to immediately bring the meeting back to the current or next item on the
agenda.

Voting
There are four basic methods of voting in a meeting:
1. Voice
The Chair asks members to verbally say “Aye” or ”Nay” to a motion. This type of
vote is used when a specific count is not required. When used, the Chair must
decide and announce which vote carried the majority and whether the motion
passed or failed.
2. Rising
Rising means standing or raising of hands. This method is used for a specific

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 count and that count should be announced by the Chair along with the passage
or failure of the motion.
3. Secret ballot
The secret ballot is used to allow each member to cast their vote while avoiding
undue influence by others. The Chair is allowed to vote when using this method.
4. Roll call
The secretary polls and records the vote of each member. The Chair then
announces the results, often stating which members voted for and against the
issue.

Most votes require a simple majority, which is one more than half the members voting
(not 51% of those present). For example, suppose there are 20 members present at a
meeting and a vote is required on a motion which needs a simple majority to pass. Fifty
one percent of the members present would be 10.2 members. Since you cannot count a
portion of a member, 51% would be rounded up to 11 members. However, if only 16 of
the members vote on the motion, then one more than half of those voting would be 9
members. So, in this case, it would require 9 favorable votes to pass the motion (one
more than half those members voting), instead of 11 (51% of those members present).

A two-thirds majority is required for motions which limit rights. A two-thirds vote requires
a rising or ballot vote.

The Chair does not vote during a voice vote to avoid undue influence by the power
of his or her position. If the Chair cannot determine whether the “ayes” or “nays”
have more votes, he or she may decide to call for a rising vote. In the case of a
rising vote, the Chair may vote to create or break a tie, but not both. The Chair is
free to vote in a secret ballot like any other member. In all cases, a tied vote fails
to pass the motion.

If a member does not agree with the determination of the chair on a vote, they may call
for a “Division of the House.” If the Division of the House is called for, the Chair must
proceed to a counted vote (rising or ballot).

Not all motions require a vote by the body, some are simply ruled on by the Chair
(e.g. point of order).

Quorum
A quorum is the number of members required to be present at the meeting to
conduct business. This amount is usually one member over half unless otherwise
stated in the bylaws. If a quorum is not present at the meeting, a general
discussion can be held on various issues, but no official business can be conducted.

If stated in the by-laws or previously approved by the membership, alternative

methods may be used to obtain a quorum, such as using electronic communications
(speaker phone, web cam, email, etc.), proxy votes, or other methods.

General Meeting Requirements

x Presiding officer
o Usually the Chair or President

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 x Secretary or recorder
x Other officers as stated in the bylaws
x A quorum of members

Motion
A motion is simply a tool to transact business. If parliamentary procedure is strictly
followed, there should be no discussion or business completed without a motion on
the floor. This means there is enough interest for discussion of the issue to proceed.
However, this rule is often not strictly adhered to, especially in smaller boards
and/or groups which may want to have some open discussion before deciding
whether the issue needs to be considered as a formal item of business. However,
the Chair should see that most issues proceed quickly to a motion. If a motion is
not forthcoming, the item should be referred to another place and time outside the
business meeting. The term “business meeting” means just that – a place where
business is conducted, not unending discussion of related or unrelated issues.

A second is required by most motions to show that more than one person is
interested. If there is no second then the motion lost for lack of second, and the
Chair announces it as such. Until a motion is seconded the maker can withdraw it.
Once it is seconded, it becomes the property of the group and is on the floor for
discussion or final determination.

There are four types of motions:

x Main – to introduce business
x Subsidiary – to change or take action on the main motion
o Most common – amendment
x Incidental – deals with rules and parliamentary procedure
x Privileged – handles personal matters
o Such as: can’t hear, don’t understand, too cold, adjourn

See the Summary of Motions at the end of this document for a listing of the
major motions of each type and their characteristics, such as whether they require
a second, if they are debatable and amendable, what vote is required for passage,
whether they can be reconsidered, whether subsidiary motions can be applied to
them, and whether they are in order when someone else has the floor.

Handling a Main Motion

Let’s review the proper procedure for handling a main motion which has been
properly made during the meeting.

A member rises or raises their hand for recognition and addresses the Chair,
“Mr/Madam/Ms President/Chair Person.”

The Chair must recognize the member before the member continues by using their
name or some other format and asking them to continue.

The member presents the motion by saying, “I move…”. A motion is NOT offered by
saying, “I make a motion…” or “I motion…”. Motions are made in the positive. In
other words, motions intend to do something or cause something to happen. Motions
are not usually offered to NOT do something – simply refrain from making a motion
if you don’t want to follow a course of action.

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 The Chair asks for a second. Parliamentary law does not require the recognition or
recording of who made the second. Consequently, a second only requires a member
to call out that they second the motion. A second is required to prove that more than
one person is interested in the motion. If a second is required and not made, the
Chair will declare that the motion is lost for want of a second.

If seconded, the Chair repeats the motion and asks for discussion. Only during
discussion can other motions be made to change the main motion or do something
with it. Each member who wants to discuss must be recognized by the Chair. The
maker of the motion should have the first right to provide arguments in favor of their
motion. The Chair has the responsibility to recognize persons on both sides of the
issue, preferably in alternating order if their position is known.

The Chair should not discuss or introduce business. The Chair should only discuss
business if he or she gives up the chair to another (vice-chair, etc.). This should not
become a general practice and only be used if the Chair feels they have vital
discussion concerning the issue before the group. On the other hand, the Chair may
provide information previously unknown to the board without giving up the
chairmanship if it is given in a factual and neutral matter and allowing the members
to discuss its implications and decide how the information should affect its decisions.

If the Chair gives up the chairmanship to discuss a motion, he or she should not take
the chairmanship back until the matter is decided, and then must wait for the
invitation of the person who assumed the chairmanship in their place.

Bringing the discussion to an end:

1) The Chair can ask for a vote if (s)he has asked for more discussion and
there is none.

2) A member can call out “Question,” which means they are ready and asking
for a vote. The call for the question carries no legal weight – it is a only a
suggestion. If more discussion is offered, the call for the question is ignored.

The Chair states, “The question has been called. Is there any further
discussion?” If there is none then…”Seeing none, we will proceed to vote.”

3) A member can move “The Previous Question.” In this case the member is
moving to end discussion and move to a vote. This motion requires a second
and, since it curtails the right for further discussion, takes a two-thirds vote to
pass.

After discussion, the motion must be voted on unless another motion has done
something else with it; e.g. – lay on the table, postpone indefinitely, postpone to a
certain time, refer to a committee. The Chair states, “We shall now proceed to vote
on the motion to…” and restates the motion (as amended, if amended) so all
understand what they are voting on. If a counted vote is not required, the Chair calls
for a voice vote: “All in favor of the motion say ‘aye.’ All opposed ‘nay’.”

After the vote, the Chair must announce the outcome: “The motion is carried/lost.” If
a gavel is used, one tap of the gavel follows the Chair announcement.

Order of Precedence
Order of precedence is the order in which motions must be handled if more than
one is on the floor at one time. The chart below shows the order of precedence of
some of the more common motions. A motion lower on the chart is out of order if a

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motion above it is being considered. Whenever a motion is decided it loses its
precedence because it is no longer on the floor.

Adjournment
Recess
Points of Order
Lay on the Table
Previous Question
Postpone to Definite Time
Refer to a Committee
Amendment to Amendment
Amendment to Main Motion
Postpone Indefinitely
Main Motion

The motion to adjourn always has highest precedence because it will end
consideration of all other business.

See a complete guide in Robert’s Rules of Order for in-depth directions on

precedence procedures.

Amendments
Amendments can be made to insert, delete, or change the wording of an
amendable motion. However, an amendment is not in order to completely reverse
the meaning of the motion. Amendments are made during discussion of the main or
another amendable motion. A second is required, it is debatable and amendable, a
majority vote is required, and the amendment can be reconsidered.

If made and seconded, the amendment must be discussed and voted on before
going back to discussion on main motion. Why? Because it may change the main
motion and change opinions on whether it be pass or fail.

Once the amendment is passed or failed, business proceeds back to discussion on

the main motion as it was made or as amended. If amended, the Chair should state
the wording of the main motion as amended.

Amendments can be amended.

The same procedure applies as for the amendment to a main motion. However,
only two levels (an amendment to the amendment) are usually allowed – too many
levels of amendments are confusing. Remember that the “amendment to the
amendment” must be decided first (takes precedence), then the “amendment to
the main motion,” and then the main motion. And each level of amendment is
offered, discussed, and voted upon during the discussion of the motion to which it
applies.

Example Procedure
Chair: Is there any further business?
MAIN MOTION:
Member: Mr. Chairman
Chair: Tom (Sam, Eunice, Mary, Bill…)

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 Member: Since our treasury is getting low I move that we hold a sale of
services.
SECOND:
I second the motion.
Chair: It has been moved and seconded to hold a sale of one day services by
members. Is there any discussion on the motion?
DISCUSSION:
Member 1: Mr. Chairman
President: Mary
Member 1: I think this is a great idea because we have the manpower and
our benevolence fund has been completely drained.
Member 2: Mr. Chairman
Chair: Dick
Member: I would urge the membership to vote against this motion because I
am so busy. I just don’t have the time to donate a day of free work, and I
doubt that many of you do either.
AMENDMENT ONE:
Member: Mr. Chairman
Chair: Lucy
Member: I move to amend the motion to add the words “at the February 10th
basketball game.”
Chair: Is there a second?
Member: I second the motion.
Chair: It has been moved and seconded to amend the motion by adding the
words “at the February 10th basketball game.” Is there any discussion?
Member: Mr. Chairman
Chair: Sam
Member: I don’t think that will work because that is the same day that most
of us will be gone on a business trip to Cheyenne.
AMENDMENT TWO:
Member: Mr. Chairman
Chair: Susie
Member: I move to amend the amendment by changing the 10th to the 17th.
Member: Second.
Chair: It has been moved and seconded to amend the amendment by
changing the date from the 10th to the 17th. Is there any discussion? (No
discussion offered.)
If there is no discussion, we are ready to vote on the amendment to the
amendment to change the date to the 17th. All those in favor say “aye.”
Those opposed “nay.” (Makes judgment on prevailing vote.)
The motion carries.
AMENDMENT ONE:
Chair: We will now resume discussion on the amendment as amended to add
the words “at the February 17th basketball game.” Is there any further
discussion? (No discussion offered.)
If not, we shall proceed to vote on the amendment. All those in favor say
“aye.”
All those opposed “nay.” (Makes judgment on prevailing vote.)
The “ayes” have it. The amendment is passed.
MAIN MOTION:
Chair: We will now resume discussion on the main motion as amended to
read: “We will hold a sale of services at the February 17th basketball game.”
Is there any further discussion? (No discussion is offered.)
Hearing none, we will proceed to vote. All those in favor of holding a sale of
services at the February 17th basketball game, say “aye.”
All those opposed say “nay.” (Makes judgment on prevailing vote.)

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 The motion is carried.
Member: I call for a division of the house.
Chair: A division of the house has been called for. All those in favor of the
motion please stand and remain standing to be counted. (Those standing are
counted.)
All those opposed please stand. (Those standing are counted.)
The count is 23 to 14 in favor of the motion. The motion is carried.
MOVING TO NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS:
Chair: The next item of business on our agenda is…
[or]
Mr./Madam Secretary, what is our next item of business?
[or]
Is there any further business to be presented?
[or]
That completes our business for today. I declare this meeting adjourned.

Reports
Secretary’s minutes, the Treasurer’s report, and committee reports are just that,
reports. They do not require a motion for acceptance and are simply received by
the Chair.

The minutes of previous meetings should be read, either at the beginning of the
meeting, or sent out to members previously. After reading, the Chair simply asks
whether there are any corrections, then declares the minutes approved as read or
corrected. No motion is necessary.

The same procedure is used for the Treasurer’s report.

If committee reports contain recommendations for the board, then the person
making the report should properly move for the adoption of the report at its
conclusion. A second is not required, since the committee recommendation proves
that more than one person is already interested in its passage. Adoption of the
report means that the group has approved and adopted the recommendations. If
there is disagreement on whether the recommendations should be adopted,
discussion on the motion to adopt the report should reveal the pros and cons. If
necessary, use the motion “Divide the Question” to consider recommendations
separately.

All reports should become part of the Secretary’s records.

Nominations
A nomination is a suggestion, not a motion. Consequently, nominations do not
require a second. Nominations should be taken for the highest office first and
election for that office should be completed. Then those not winning the election
can be nominated for succeeding offices. If a nominating committee is used, accept
their report, but then the membership should be asked for any additional
nominations. A motion to close nominations requires a two-thirds vote since it is
closing the privilege of offering names for the office in question.

Referral to Committee
A motion to refer to a committee can be made with three levels of power for the
committee:

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 1. To report findings back to the body.
2. To report and make recommendations to the body.
3. To have the power to act on behalf of the body.

When a committee recommendation is brought in the form of a motion, no “second”

is required from the floor since the committee is made up of several persons and
this shows that more than one person is already interested in passage of the
motion.

How to preside
President must:
Keep members well informed concerning:
Pending business
Vote results
Motion before the group
Any matters affecting members’ rights
Insist on accepted parliamentary procedure
Maintain order

If an improper motion is made, the Chair should tactfully and courteously suggest
the proper motion, avoiding “You are out of order!”.

Depending on the formality and working relationship of the group, the Chair can
assume general consent without asking for a vote or motion. This is often reserved
for items of lesser importance for which there is little indication of a difference of
opinion. The Chair should state that the item is decided by consensus unless there
is an objection. Members may ask for any item to be put to a vote if they doubt
there is consensus.

Meeting Minutes
The following are items that should be included in meeting minutes.
o Kind of meeting
o Date
o Place
o Starting time
o Members present and absent
o Presiding officer
o Reading and approval of past minutes
o Balance of treasurer’s report
o Name of member introducing motion
o Action taken on motion
o Vote if counted
o Other actions/items which affect body
o Adjournment and time
o Secretary’s name and/or signature

It is not necessary to record who seconded a motion – it is sufficient to simply

record that the motion was seconded. Nor is it necessary to record discussion or
comments; only motions and decisions need be recorded.

Parliamentarian

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It is quite acceptable for the Chair to stop the proceedings to check with a
designated parliamentarian on proper procedure. If a parliamentarian is not
designated, the Chair may take time to check on proper procedure or ask someone
within the meeting to do the necessary research. It is better to get it right first than
to try to go back and correct mistakes.

Use When Prudent and Necessary

Once you understand the basics of parliamentary procedure, the question remains
– how much do you use? You can go all the way from not using any parliamentary
procedure on the one end, such as using consensus or other methods to find
agreement, to the other end, insisting on complete and total parliamentary law for
any and everything in the meeting.

Most boards or groups find a middle pathway that works best for them. One of the
dictating factors will be the board’s bylaws. Most sets of bylaws state that meetings
will be run by Robert’s Rules of Order. If your bylaws state such, and you are not
following proper parliamentary procedures, your actions could be deemed null and
void, or even worse, illegal. Consequently, if you are constrained by law or your
board bylaws state to function by parliamentary law, you must do so.

At the same time, there is a wide variance in the degree of enforcement of the use
of parliamentary rules. Usually it is best to not use more parliamentary rules and
procedures than is necessary and practical for your board and/or group meetings to
run smoothly and efficiently. It may not be necessary to use more than the basics
of properly making and completing main motions, amendments, and a few of the
other subsidiary and incidental motions as needed. At the other extreme are
legislative bodies and the Congress who follow very detailed, and sometimes
convoluted parliamentary rules which are often used by one faction to thwart the
efforts of another.

Find the level of parliamentary law that works well for your meetings and still falls
within the requirements of being legal and efficient according to your bylaws and
the statutes which empower your board.

SOME OTHER COMMON MOTIONS

Question of Privilege
Used for questions or issues which relate to the rights or privileges of any
member. For issues affecting the entire group, the person raising the issue
would say, “I rise to a question of privilege related to the assembly.” These
could be issues or questions related to items like heating, lighting,
ventilation, disturbance or noise, punishing disorderly conduct, accuracy of
reports, etc. For personal issues you would state, “I rise to a question of
personal privilege.” The Chair should do their best to remove any obstacles
to a proper meeting and/or environment.

Point of Order
This is used to correct a parliamentary error occurring in the meeting to bring
the group back to the proper order of procedure. To raise a Point of Order
say, “Mr/Ms Chairperson, I rise to a point of order,” without waiting for

30
 recognition. After being recognized, state the error in parliamentary
procedure. The Chair will rule on the point if (s)he knows the answer, check
with the parliamentarian, ask for advice from other knowledgeable members,
or a decision by the body.

The Chair will state, “Your point is well taken,” or “Your point is not well
taken,” with an explanation of the reasoning for the decision.

Appeal From the Decision of the Chair

If you do not feel the Chair made a proper or legal decision, you may appeal
their decision. Your appeal should be based on the occurrence of improper
procedure, not disagreement on issues. This motion must be made at the
time of the decision. Say, “Mr/Ms Chairperson, I appeal the decision of the
Chair,” without being recognized. The Chair must then put their decision to a
vote of the body.

Parliamentary Inquiry
This motion is used to clear up a parliamentary question that needs to be
answered immediately or may affect the outcome of the meeting. Start by
saying, “Mr/Ms Chairperson, I rise to a parliamentary inquiry,” without
recognition. The Chair should provide an answer immediately if necessary, or
may wait for the speaker to finish if possible. The Chair may need to check
with the parliamentarian, other members, or the body to determine the
proper parliamentary procedure.

To Lay on the Table

The object of this motion is to clear the floor for more urgent business and
has the effect of delaying action on the issue to which it is applied. It should
not be used to kill action on an item. The item of business should be taken
up again as soon as is practical and is brought back to the floor by the
motion: To Take From the Table.

To Postpone to a Certain Time

Unlike To Lay on the Table, this motion sets a specific time when the item of
business is returned to the floor for action. This motion is not in order when
the time set could not be realistically used to bring the item back on the
floor, such as when the assembly will not be in session or when the time set
is after the action must occur.

To Postpone Indefinitely
The purpose of this motion is to prevent a vote on the question and to
actually suppress or kill the item.

Other Types of Meeting Facilitation (also see p. 11-12)

There are other types of meeting facilitation besides using parliamentary procedure
and Robert’s Rules of Order. These other methods of leading a meeting are usually
used for other things besides legal business which can be recorded in typical
minutes.

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Consensus is often used by working groups that have certain tasks to perform, such
as a committee or a conflict resolution process. Consensus does not mean that
everyone always sees eye to eye or totally agrees on every issue, but rather those
involved in the meeting are willing to give and take to find a resolution or solution
that all can live with. Consensus means that everyone involved in the process will
support the final solution put forth by the group and will not take action to stop or
undermine that solution.

Another type of meeting facilitation which might be used is asking for unanimous
support and agreement. If an issue is especially important, the board may not want
to go ahead unless everyone is in agreement. This would require a favorable vote
or comment by everyone involved in order to proceed.

If the board is not looking to conduct official business, general discussion may be in
order. This is often used when the group is in the information gathering stage and
the meeting is simply open to each person asking questions and making comments
to come to greater shared understanding.

General discussion is similar to brainstorming. However, brainstorming is more

generative. With this method, everyone is invited to provide any idea they might
have on a subject or problem – the purpose being to get as many ideas on the
table as possible without discussing the pros and cons, strengths or weakness of
any of them. That is done later by other group processes which can help to group
ideas, identify those that seem most practical or useful and have the most interest
from group members.

REFERENCES

The New Robert’s Rules of Order: Revised by Barnes & Noble, Edited by John Sherman; 1993; Barnes & Noble,
Inc.; ISBN 0-88029-972-X

Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised In Brief by Henry M. Robert III, William J. Evans, Daniel H. Honemann,
Thomas J. Balch; 2004; Da Capo Press; ISBN 0-306-81354-8

Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised: 10th Edition by Henry M. Robert III, William J. Evans, Daniel H. Honemann,
Thomas J. Balch; 2000; Da Capo Press; ISBN 0-7382-0384-X

A Great Meeting Needs A Great Chair! by Colette Collier Trohan; 2007; A Great Meeting, Inc.

A Guide to Parliamentary Practices by Melvin Henderson, Herbert J. Rucker; The Interstate Printers and Publishers

Parliamentary Procedure for FFA Meetings by Kenneth Lee Russell; 1976; The Interstate Printers and Publishers

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 PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE
SUMMARY OF MOTIONS

Subsidiary motion can be applied

In order when another has floor

Can Be Reconsidered
Second Required

Vote Required
Classification

Amendable
Debatable
Kind
Privileged
Fix Time to Adjourn(11) Yes No Yes Maj Yes Yes No
(12)
Adjourn Yes No No Maj No No No
Question of Privilege No No No None(15) No No Yes(16)
(13) (14)
Recess Yes No Yes Maj No Yes(1) No
(17) (18)
Call for Order of Day No No No No No Yes(16)
Incidental
Rise to Point of order No No No None(4) No No Yes(16)
(6) (5)
Appeal Decision of Chair Yes Yes No Maj Yes (22)
Yes(16)
Suspend the Rules Yes No No 2/3 No No No
(21)
Object to Consideration of Question No No No 2/3 No No
Divide the Question Yes(7) No Yes Maj No Yes (1)
No(7)
(8)
Division of the House No No No No No Yes(16)
Parliamentary Inquiry No No No None No No No
(9) (9) (9) (9) (9)
Nominate No No
Make Request Growing Out of Pending No(10) No(10) No(10) (10) (10)
No(10)
Business Yes(10)
To Withdraw a Motion No No No Maj Yes No Yes
Subsidiary
Lay on the Table Yes No No Maj No No No
Previous Question Yes No No 2/3 Yes No No
Postpone Definitely (to a certain time) Yes Yes No Maj Yes Yes No
Limit or Extend Debate Yes No No 2/3 Yes Yes No
Commit or Refer to Committee Yes Yes Yes Maj Yes Yes No
Amend Yes Yes(2) Yes Maj Yes Yes No
Postpone Indefinitely Yes Yes No Maj Yes Yes (3)
No
Main
Main Motion Yes Yes Yes Maj Yes Yes No
Other
Take from the Table Yes No No Maj No No No
Reconsider Yes Yes(19) No Maj No Yes Yes
(20)
Rescind Yes Yes Yes No Yes No
Ratify Yes Yes Yes Maj Yes Yes No

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1 - Can be amended but can have no other subsidiary motion applied.
2 - Can be debated only when the question being amended is debatable.
3 - Can have only a motion calling for the previous quesiton and motions limiting or extending time of debate
applied to it.
4 - Is usually decided by chair, without calling for a vote.
5 - A tie vote sustains the chair and presiding officer may cast the vote that makes a tie.
6 - Can not be debated if made during a division of the assembly, or when the pending question is undebatable.
Can not be debated when it applies to indecorum, transgression of the rules of speaking or to priority of
business.
7 - The question must be divided at the request of a single member, (which request can be made when another
has the floor) provided the resolutions relate to different subjects which are independent of each other.
8 - When a division is called for, the chair proceeds to take the vote again by rising. No vote is taken on whether
a division shall be made, i.e. on whether a standing vote shall be
taken.
9 - To nominate, one simply rises, addresses the presiding officer, and states, "I nominate Mr. --------------,"
and is again seated.
10 - Great variation is found since several different kinds of requests are included under this one heading. Often
the chair settles the question, no vote being taken.
11 - Is a privileged motion only if made while another motion is pending, and in an assembly that has made no
provision for meeting again on the same or next day; otherwise it is a main motion. The answers apply to
the privileged motion.
12 - When unqualified, is always a privileged motion except when effect would be to disband the group
permanently. The answers apply to the privileged motion, not to a main motion to adjourn.
13 - Is a privileged motion if made when other business is pending, otherwise is a main motion. Answers apply
to the privileged motion.
14 - Can be amended as to the length of time to recess.
15 - Is usually disposed by chair, without vote.
16 - May interrupt if urgent enough to justify such action.
17 - Is in order only when orders are not being conformed to and is then always a privileged motion.
18 - Chair should proceed to order of the day or put a question as to whether the group wishes to proceed with
the order. A motion to not proceed to the order requires a 2/3 vote, the same as suspending the rules.
19 - Debatable when the question to be reconsidered is
debatable.
20 - Often requires a 2/3 vote but considerable variation is found. See Robert's Rules of Order.
21 - An affirmative vote cannot be reconsidered.
22 - Cannot be amended. If repeal of the appealed decision would have no affect on the consideration or action
on the main question, the main question does not adhere to the appeal; its consideration is resumed as
soon as the appeal is laid on the table, postponed, etc. But if the ruling affects the consideration of or
action on the main question, then the main question adheres to the appeal, and when the appeal is laid on
the table or postponed, the main question goes with
it.

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