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Parliamentary Procedure

This document provides a basic guide to parliamentary procedure for boards and groups. It discusses the purpose of parliamentary procedure, which is to protect members' rights while allowing the majority to rule. It also covers how to build an effective agenda, including asking important questions and using different agenda types like priority, subject-based, strategic, and consent agendas. Finally, it outlines the four main voting methods in meetings: voice vote, rising vote, secret ballot, and roll call vote.

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Sarah Dane Lising
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26 views

Parliamentary Procedure

This document provides a basic guide to parliamentary procedure for boards and groups. It discusses the purpose of parliamentary procedure, which is to protect members' rights while allowing the majority to rule. It also covers how to build an effective agenda, including asking important questions and using different agenda types like priority, subject-based, strategic, and consent agendas. Finally, it outlines the four main voting methods in meetings: voice vote, rising vote, secret ballot, and roll call vote.

Uploaded by

Sarah Dane Lising
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE

A Basic Guide to Meeting Procedures


for Boards and Groups
BY:
Sarah Dane B. Lising, MPA
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?
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.
• 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.
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 count and that count should be announced by the Chair along
with the passage or failure of the motion.
Voting
There are four basic methods of voting in a meeting:
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.

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