Robert's Rules of Order
Table of Contents
PART I: Meetings and Organizations
- Structure of an Organization
- Applying Democratic Principles to Organizations
- Defining Parliamentary Procedure
- Importance of Parliamentary Procedures
- Basic Principles of Parliamentary Procedure
- Taking Up Business One Item at a Time
- Promoting Courtesy, Justice, Impartiality, and Equality
- The Rule of the Majority and Protection of the Minority
- Planning and Using Agendas
- Accepted Order of Business
- Creating a Specific Agenda
- Adopting the Agenda
- Mailing an Agenda to the Members
- Consent and Priority Agendas
- Quorum
- How to Keep a Record of the Quorum
- What to Do When No Quorum Is Present
- A Business Meeting in Action
- Calling the Meeting to Order
- Reading and Approving the Minutes
- Reports of Officers
- Reports of Committees
- Unfinished Business and General Orders
- New Business
- Adjourning the Meeting
- Basic Steps in Presenting a Motion
- Making a Main Motion
- Discussing a Motion
- Taking the Vote
- Completing the Action on the Motion
- Important Points to Remember Before Making a Motion
- Resolutions
- Rules of Debate
- Limitations on Debate
- Debatable Motions And Undebatable Motions
- Procedure for Taking a Vote
- The Majority Rules
- Majority Vote Defined
- Modifications in Majority Vote
- A Two-Thirds Vote
- A Three-Fourths Vote
- The Tie Vote
- Ways the Vote Can Be Taken
- Taking a Vote by Voice
- Taking a Vote by Show of Hands
- Taking a Vote by Rising (Standing)
- Taking a Vote by Ballot
- Taking a Vote by Mail
- Taking a Vote by E-mail
- Taking a Vote by General or Unanimous Consent
- Doubting the Result of the Vote
- Calling for a Division
- Doubting the Result of a Ballot Vote or Roll Call Vote
- Other Voting Procedures
- Frequently Asked Questions About Voting
PART II: Motions Simplified
- Classes of Motions
- Main Motions
- Secondary Motions
- Motions That Bring a Question Again Before the Assembly
- Previous Notice of Motions
- The Ranking of Motions
- Postpone Indefinitely
- Amend
- Voting on Amendments to the Main Motion
- Refer to a Committee
- Committee (or Quasi-Committee) of the Whole
- Consider Informally
- Postpone to a Certain Time
- Postpone to a Certain Time Made into a Special Order
- Limit or Extend the Limits of Debate
- Previous Question (Close Debate)
- Lay on the Table
- Legitimate Uses of the Motion Lay on the Table
- Calls for the Orders of the Day
- Raise a Question of Privilege
- Recess
- Adjourn
- Fix the Time to Which to Adjourn
- Fix the Time at Which to Adjourn
- Point of Order
- Appeal from the Decision of the Chair (Appeal)
- Requests and Inquiries
- Request for Permission to Withdraw or Modify a Motion
- Request To be Excused from a Duty
- Object to Consideration of a Question
- Division of the Assembly
- Division of the Question
- Suspend the Rules
- Take from the Table
- Reconsider
- Rescind and Amend Something Previously Adopted
- Discharge a Committee
PART III: Membership
- Elected Officers
- The President
- Setting Goals for the Organization
- Performing Administrative Duties
- Presiding at Meetings
- Becoming an Effective Presiding Officer
- Legal and Ethical Considerations
- The Vice President
- The Secretary
- Meeting Minutes
- The Structure of the Minutes
- Approval of and Corrections to the Minutes
- Finalized Form of the Minutes
- Carrying out the Actions in the Minutes
- The Treasurer
- The Treasurer's Duty in Small Clubs
- The Treasurer's Report in Small Clubs
- The Treasurer's Duty in Larger Organizations
- Boards
- Bylaws and Boards
- Ex Officio Board Members
- Handling Resignations
- Passing the Torch
- Nominations
- Nominations by Committee
- Nominations from the Floor
- Nominations by Ballot
- Nominations by Mail
- Nominations by Petition
- Other Nominating Procedures
- Nominations and the Minutes
- Motions Relating to Nominations
- Close the Nominations
- Reopen the Nominations
- Undemocratic Practices in the Nomination and Election Process
- Elections
- Election by Voice Vote
- Election by Ballot Vote
- Election by Roll Call Vote
- Election by Cumulative Voting
- Election by Other Types of Voting
- Motions Concerning Elections
- Counting and Recording the Ballots by Tellers' Committee
- Teller's Sheet and Report
- Counting the Ballots
- Filling Out the Teller's Report
- Giving the Tellers' Committee Report
- Other Points About Elections
- Election Irregularities
- Taking a Recount
- The Role of a Committee
- Standing Committees
- Special Committees
- Appointment of the Committee Chairman
- Membership Involvement
- Duties of the Members
- A Special Responsibility for Members
- The Unruly Member at Meetings
- Penalties
- Removing an Offender from the Assembly Hall
- Making a Motion to Censure
- Censure
- Holding a Trial
- Some Final Thoughts
PART IV: Meetings and Strategies
- The Basics
- Formal Meetings
- Annual Meetings
- Regular Meetings
- Adjourned Meetings
- Executive Sessions
- Special Meetings
- Sessions
- Conventions
- Mass Meetings
- Informal Meetings
- Board Meetings (Under 12 Members)
- Committee Meetings (Under 12 Members)
- Electronic Meetings
- Meeting Management
- Managing Meetings at the Office
- The Meeting Environment
- Evaluating Your Meetings
- Meeting Strategies
- Strategies for Members
- Strategies for Presiding Officers
- Object to a Motion's Consideration
- Subsidiary Motions
- Postpone Indefinitely
- Amend
- Refer to a Committee
- Postpone to a Certain Time
- Limit or Extend the Limits of Debate
- Previous Question
- Lay on the Table
- Privileged Motions
- Raise a Question of Privilege
- Recess
- Adjourn
- Fix the Time to Which to Adjourn
- Incidental Motions
- Motions That Bring a Question Again Before the Assembly
- Reconsider the Vote
- Rescind
- Other Helpful Motions
- Reconsider and Enter on the Minutes
- Voting
- The Secretary and Minutes
- The President
- Nominations and Elections
- Other Officers
- Ex Officio Officers and Members
- Quorum
- Meetings
- Motions
PART V: Governing Documents
- The Corporate Charter
- Constitution and Bylaws
- Rules of Order
- Standing Rules
- Composition of Bylaws
- Article I. Name
- Article II. Object
- Article III. Members
- Article IV. Officers
- Article V. Meetings
- Article VI. Executive Boards
- Article VII. Committees
- Article VIII. Parliamentary Authority
- Article IX. Amending the Bylaws
- Other Bylaw Provisions
- Revising the Bylaws
- Amending the Bylaws
- Helpful Motions for Bylaw Revision and Amendment
- Seriatim (Consideration Paragraph by Paragraph)
- Proviso
- Sample Bylaws
PART VI: Appendices
- Main Motions
- Voting
- Subsidiary Motions
- Postpone Indefinitely (Kill a Motion)
- Amend
- Refer to a Committee (Commit)
- Postpone to a Certain Time
- Limit or Extend Debate
- Close Debate (Previous Question)
- Lay on the Table
- Privileged Motions
- Call for the Orders of the Day
- Raise a Question of Privilege
- Recess
- Adjourn
- Fix the Time to Which to Adjourn
- Incidental Motions
- Point of Order
- Parliamentary Inquiry
- Point of Information
- Appeal from the Decision of the Chair
- Object to Consideration of a Question
- Suspend the Rules
- Motions That Bring a Question Again Before the Assembly
- Reconsider
- Take from the Table
- Rescind
- Amend Something Previously Adopted
- Additional Pointers for the Chair
- Minutes of a Regular Meeting
- Minutes of an Adjourned Meeting
