The Basics of Robert's Rules of
Order
Ed Blackman
Local Officer's College
January 2009
Why Learn Robert's Rules?
Group decision making is hard, and it gets harder
the more people there are in the group.
Understanding Robert's Rules will help you:
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Run local board meetings fairly and efficiently
Understand what is going on at State board
meetings
Participate effectively
The Purpose of Robert's Rules
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Facilitate the transaction of business
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Protect the rights of the absent
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Protect the rights of the minority
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Rule by the majority (not of the outspoken)
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Allow all to be heard
What We'll Cover
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Take Action: Motions
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Change It Up: Amendments
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Express Yourself: Ways to Speak
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Save It For Later: Putting Off Discussion
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Enough Already: Calling the Question
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Early and Often: Voting
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The Chair Is Wrong!: Appeals
Take Action: Motions
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Required for any discussion
States what action should be taken – to make a
motion, say “I move that we ...”, followed by the
action you want the body to take.
State just the action you want the board to
take, not the reasons for it yet
Take Action: Motions
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Most motions require a second to start debate
– this prevents the board's time from being
taken up by something that only one person
wants to do
A second only means that you think the topic
should be discussed, not that you agree that
the motion should be carried.
Take Action: Motions
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The chair will recognize the maker of the
motion to speak first, then go in order.
Speeches should only talk about why body
should or should not take this action
Change It Up: Amendments
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Motion to amend asks the body to change what
action to take.
You should have a good idea of what you want
to change
Must be ”germane”: you can't completely
change the focus of the original motion
Speeches should only talk about the difference
between the original and the proposed change
Change It Up: Amendments
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Friendly amendments – not strictly correct, but
used to keep discussion going in small
societies
Used to more correctly express the intent of the
amendment
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Requires approval of mover and seconder
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Anyone can object
Express Yourself: Ways to Speak
Speaking on motions – two speech rule:
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You are only allowed to speak twice on each
motion
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Once unconditionally
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Once after everyone who hasn't spoken
An amendment is a new motion
If motion is successfully amended, it's a new
motion, so limits reset
Express Yourself: Ways to Speak
Two speech rule, continued:
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After you have spoken twice, chair should still
recognize you, but should ask why
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You are allowed to make amendments, call for the
question, etc
You are not allowed to speak again
Express Yourself: Ways to Speak
Other ways to speak
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Point of order
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Asks the chair to enforce the rules, usually to bring
us back to what we are supposed to be discussing
“Point of order: aren't we supposed to be
discussing the amendment?
Express Yourself: Ways to Speak
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Point of information
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Used to ask a clarifying question, or interject a fact,
without waiting for speaking order
“Point of information: how many lifetime members
do we have now?”
“Point of information: we spent $400 on that project
last year.”
Do NOT use to make speeches.
Express Yourself: Ways to Speak
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Point of parliamentary inquiry
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Ask the chair or parliamentarian a question
“Point of inquiry: do we need a majority or 2/3rds
vote here?”
Use this if you want to do something, but aren't
sure how
Save It For Later: Putting Off
Discussion
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If you think that there is not enough information
to decide yes or no right now, make a motion to
postpone: “I move that we postpone this
discussion until ...”
Requires 2/3rds majority
99% of the time, using “table” is wrong: tabling
postpones a discussion within a session, not
until another session.
Enough Already: Calling for the
Question
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If you think that everything has been said, you
can ask the chair to call for the question
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“I call for the question” or “I call the question”
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Requires 2/3rds majority
Early and Often: Voting
Ways to Vote:
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Unanimous consent (“without objection”)
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Ayes and nays
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Division of the assembly (raising of hands)
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Ballot
Early and Often: Voting
Unanimous Consent
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For matters where a member thinks that there's
a strong possibility that no one would object to
the course of action to be taken
“I'd like to ask for unanimous consent to ...” or
“If there is no objection...”
If anyone objects, vote fails, but can move to
another form of voting
Early and Often: Voting
Ayes and nays
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Chair asks those in favor and those opposed to
speak up in turn
Chair makes a ruling on who he thinks carried
the vote - “the chair rules that the ayes have it”
Ruling may be appealed by calling for division
Early and Often: Voting
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Division of the assembly
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Can be done by standing, or raising hands
Ballot
Early and Often: Voting
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Chair should announce what is being voted on
There must be a majority (or 2/3rds) of
members in favor: abstentions count as “nay”
If there are 16 members present, and the vote
is 7 to 5 in favor, the motion fails: majority
requires 9 votes in favor
Chair votes when done by ballot, or to break or
create a tie
Early and Often: Voting
A failed vote means the default action occurs.
Most of the time (approving a motion, changing
policy), the default action is to do nothing.
There are situations where bylaws or policies set
up a different default action.
In that case, if the motion was to do some
different action. If it fails, the original action still
occurs.
The Chair is Wrong!: Appeals
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The chair makes rulings to speed discussion, but the
body has the ultimate authority
If you think the chair is wrong, bring it up as soon as
possible with a point of order
If the chair disagrees, you can overrule the decision:
“I appeal the decision of the chair”
The discussion turns to whether or not the chair's
ruling is correct
Chair may participate in discussion
If a majority is in favor of the appeal, chair's decision
is overruled.