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detailed chart of motions and their order of precedence

 

Home > Governance > Corporate Governance - Detailed Chart of Motions & Precedence

 

How to Conduct the Business of a Meeting -
a detailed chart of motions and their order of precedence

 

(Authors' note: I have based this chart on Robert's Rules, various modern conventions and my experience chairing meetings. The chart was first published on March 11, 2002 in preparation for a talk to North Shore Toastmasters, West Vancouver, BC. Printed copies are available - Ed Eduljee. Please contact us by clicking here)

 

the order of precedence in which motions are considered

• The motions below are listed in their order of precedence; those on the top take precedence over the motions below.

• The application of parliamentary procedure many be unnecessary for informal, congenial meetings. For contentious meetings and meetings that have serious or legal implications, this procedure is designed help to keep the meeting on track and the decision-making solid and defensible. All members should have voted in advance to accept this procedure or any other procedure. Everyone - and the Chair in particular - should be familiar and clear about the procedure's application.

• Introduction of business starts with the last item (making a motion) in this top chart and the meeting ends with the first item (adjournment). This may be counter-intuitive, but a motion to introduce business is the lowest on this precedence list and many other motions take precedence. The following will illustrate the reasoning and the practical application of the order of precedence:

- A person wishes the meeting to consider some business and moves a motion (this is called the main motion).

- Someone else wishes to make an amendment to the main motion. This amendment must be considered before the main motion. If it is accepted, this means that the majority of members want to consider the motion in an amended fashion. If it was left unamended, the members would most likely vote against the main motion in its original state and a new motion would need to be introduced in consider to consider the business resulting in a waste of time. It is therefore, more efficient to consider the amendment first.

- In a similar fashion, an amendment to the amendment (a secondary amendment) is considered before the first or primary amendment. In order to prevent an endless line of amendments, the rules should allow only one further amendment directly connected to the primary amendment. If a secondary amendment is connected to the main motion but unconnected to the first/primary amendment, it is in effect another primary amendment and must now queue up for consideration. It can be considered if the first amendment is defeated. In this case, the person who has another amendment in mind can give the meeting a "notice of motion" by stating that she/he will vote against the amendment and should the amendment be defeated, move another amendment.

- The Chair's responsibility is to see that the amendments are directly connected to the motion and that the secondary amendment is directly connected to the primary amendment - if not the Chair should rule the unconnected amendment out of order and it can be considered as a separate motion if required. If a motion is particularly contentious, it can be referred to a committee for consideration and recommendation at a future meeting

    
• There are four classes of motions: Main, secondary, incidental, and privileged motions. Restorative motions (which rescind or restore a previous motion) have elements of incidental & secondary motions.

 

Also see:

» How to Conduct a Meeting Using Robert's Rules of Order

» Preparing for, managing & chairing a meeting

» Robert's Rules of Order - A Quick Reference

» Making meetings work

 

(Words with* are defined on the right)
 

  You say this: Name/

Class of Motion

Can you interrupt the speaker? Does your motion need a second*? Is the motion debateable? Is the motion amendable? Can the vote be reconsidered? What’s needed for the decision? Boards & Committees DEFINITIONS

 

                    Second: A second person agreeing to have the motion considered for discussion (they need not support the motion).
Fix the time for the meeting to end “I move we adjourn* this meeting at…” Fix adjournment time/

Privileged Motion*

No

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

A majority vote Usually stated & approved with the agenda. If not –same process. Adjourn: Close a meeting and carry over unfinished business to the next meeting

(This motion is in order even after a vote to adjourn, provided the Chair has not announced that vote’s result)

End the meeting “I move that we adjourn” Adjournment/

Privileged Motion

No

Yes

No

No

Yes (unless the Chair has announced the vote’s result)

A majority vote

 

Same process Privileged Motions are most urgent and do not relate to pending business.
Call an intermission or break “I move that we recess for…” Recess/

Privileged Motion

No

Yes

No

Yes

No

A majority vote

(Board: Chair)

Made as a suggestion  
Complain and about the heat, noise etc. “I rise to a question of privilege.”

Motion or Question of Privilege*/

Privileged Motion

Yes

No

No

No

No

Chair Made as a suggestion Motions of Privilege pertain to the rights and privileges of the members. Note that at all privileged motions are motions of privilege.
Ask for the group to postpone a current discussion & consider a scheduled agenda item “I move that we proceed to the orders of the day.” Orders of the Day/

Privileged Motion

Yes

No

No

No

No

Chair Same process Orders of the Day are the scheduled items of business as stated in the agenda. If a timed agenda is adopted, the item, timing and sequence become the order of business.
Question or object to a point of order in a motion or an improper matter “I rise to a point of order.” Question of Order/

Incidental Motion*

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

No

A majority vote Same process Incidental Motions are procedural questions that arise out of the main or subsidiary motions and therefore take precedence over them. They have no precedence amongst themselves and are addressed as they arise.
Appeal a decision of the Chair “I appeal the Chair’s decision.” Appeal/

Incidental Motion

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

A majority vote Same process  
Withdraw a motion “I withdraw my motion.” Withdrawal of a Motion/

Incidental Motion

Yes

No

No

No

No

No vote Same process  
Request information or clarification “On a point of information/clarification…” Point of Information/

Incidental Motion

Yes

No

No

No

No

No vote

(Board: Chair)

Same process A motion can only be withdrawn before it vote on the motion has commenced.
Temporarily suspend the rules of order “I move to suspend the rules of order so that (the reason)…” Suspension of the Rules/

Incidental Motion

No

Yes

No

No

No

A 2/3 vote Same process The rules should only be suspended temporarily if their operation interferes with the operation of the Constitution, by-laws or some other higher law.
Indefinitely suspend considering an issue “ I move to table the motion…” To Lay on the Table/

Subsidiary Motion*

No

Yes

No

No

No

A majority vote Omit (Use postponement instead) Subsidiary Motions change, affect or seek to dispose of the main motion.

Table:  Suspend

End debate or amendments and ask for a vote “I move to the previous question…” (Incorrectly: “I call the question…” Previous Question/ Subsidiary Motion

No

Yes

No

No

Yes (unless a vote on the question has begun)

A 2/3 vote

(Board: Chair)

Made as a suggestion: “I suggest we end this discussion and vote.” Previous Question: The main motion being debated
Limit or extend debate limits “I move the debate be limited to a speech two min. for each member.” Limit Debate/

Subsidiary Motion

No

Yes

No

Yes (only to: length & frequency of speeches; when the vote is taken)

Yes (unless the motion has already been applied)

A 2/3 vote (Small group show of hands. Large group: stand. No voice vote) Same process This motion limits members’ right to debate and should be used with caution.
Postpone discussions until a specified time. Reconsider hasty action “ I move to postpone this discussion until…” Postponement/ Subsidiary Motion

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

A majority vote Same process A motion cannot be postponed further than the next regular meeting when it is scheduled under unfinished business.
Have a committee look after the matter “I move to refer the matter to the ______ committee.” Commit or Refer/ Subsidiary Motion

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes (unless the committee has started considering the subject)

A majority vote Same process  
Amend a Motion “I move to amend the motion.” Amend/

Subsidiary Motion

No

Yes

Yes

Yes (unless the motion to be amended is not debatable)

Yes

A majority vote Same process The first amendment is the Primary Amendment. An amendment to the Primary Amendment is the Secondary Amendment (which cannot be amended).
Introduce business “I move that…” Making a motion/

Principle or Main Motion or Question*

No

Yes (unless proposed by a committee)

Yes

Yes

Yes

A majority vote Same process Main Motions are proposals that some action be taken, a decision be made, or an opinion be expressed by the group.

 

  

 

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