Common Cove

Ranked-choice vote counter & meeting minutes

Motions cheat sheet

The common motions of Robert's Rules of Order on one page: what each is for, what to say, whether it needs a second, whether it can be debated or amended, the vote it needs, and which ones are in order right now.

Showing all 24 motions

Motions cheat sheet, based on Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised, 12th edition (2020). Your bylaws and special rules take precedence. commoncove.sbs

Common motions under Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised, 12th edition
MotionYou sayInterrupt a speaker?Second?Debatable?Amendable?Vote neededNow
Ranked motions, highest first
AdjournClose the meetingPrivileged · §21 I move to adjourn. No Yes No No Majority Not now
RecessTake a short breakPrivileged · §20 I move to recess for ten minutes. No Yes No Yes Majority Not now
Raise a question of privilegeRaise an urgent problem, such as not being able to hearPrivileged · §19 I rise to a question of privilege. Yes No No No None: the chair rules Not now
Call for the orders of the dayMake the meeting follow its agendaPrivileged · §18 I call for the orders of the day. Yes No No No None Not now
Lay on the tableSet a question aside temporarily for something urgentSubsidiary · §17 I move to lay the question on the table. No Yes No No MajorityNot a way to kill a motion: using it to suppress a question is out of order, because only a two-thirds vote can cut off debate. Not now
Previous questionClose debate and vote nowSubsidiary · §16 I move the previous question. No Yes No No Two-thirdsCalling out “Question!” does not end debate: a member must be recognised and move it, and it needs a second and a two-thirds vote. Not now
Limit or extend limits of debateShorten or lengthen debateSubsidiary · §15 I move that debate be limited to two minutes per speaker. No Yes No Yes Two-thirds Not now
Postpone to a certain timePut off a decision to a later time or meetingSubsidiary · §14 I move to postpone the motion to the next meeting. No Yes Yes Yes MajorityThis, not “tabling”, is the motion for moving an item to the next meeting. Not now
Commit or referSend the question to a committeeSubsidiary · §13 I move to refer the motion to the finance committee. No Yes Yes Yes Majority Not now
AmendChange the wording of a motionSubsidiary · §12 I move to amend the motion by striking out “£200” and inserting “£150”. No Yes Yes Yes MajorityA so-called friendly amendment is still an amendment: the assembly adopts it by vote or without objection, not the mover alone. Not now
Amend an amendmentChange the wording of a pending amendmentSubsidiary · §12 I move to amend the amendment by… No Yes Yes No MajorityA secondary amendment cannot itself be amended. Not now
Postpone indefinitelyDrop the main motion without a direct vote on itSubsidiary · §11 I move that the motion be postponed indefinitely. No Yes Yes No MajorityWhile it is pending, debate can go into the merits of the main motion. Not now
Main motionBring new business before the meetingMain motion · §10 I move that… No Yes Yes Yes MajorityIn order only when no other motion is pending. In order
Incidental motions: no order of precedence
Point of orderAsk the chair to enforce the rulesIncidental · §23 Point of order. Yes No No No None: the chair rules As needed
Appeal from the decision of the chairLet the meeting overrule the chair's rulingIncidental · §24 I appeal from the decision of the chair. Yes Yes Varies No A majority or a tie sustains the chairDebatable unless it relates to indecorum, the speaking rules or the priority of business, or is made about an undebatable question. As needed
Suspend the rulesDo something the usual rules would not allowIncidental · §25 I move to suspend the rules and take up item 6 now. No Yes No No Two-thirds As needed
Objection to the consideration of a questionStop a main motion from being discussed at allIncidental · §26 I object to the consideration of the question. Yes No No No Two-thirds against considerationOnly before debate on the main motion has begun. As needed
Division of the questionSplit a motion into parts voted on separatelyIncidental · §27 I move to divide the question. No Yes No Yes Majority As needed
Division of the assemblyHave a voice vote retaken as a rising voteIncidental · §29 Division! Yes No No No None As needed
Parliamentary inquiryAsk a question about procedureIncidental · §33 I rise to a parliamentary inquiry. If urgent No No No None As needed
Request for informationAsk a factual question about the businessIncidental · §33 I have a question about the motion. If urgent No No No None As needed
Motions that bring a question back
Take from the tableResume a question that was laid on the tableBrings a question back · §34 I move to take from the table the motion about… No Yes No No Majority In order
Rescind, or amend something previously adoptedCancel or change a decision already madeBrings a question back · §35 I move to rescind the motion adopted on 4 March about… No Yes Yes Yes Two-thirds; a majority with previous notice; or a majority of the entire membershipAny one of the three votes is enough. In order
ReconsiderVote again on a motion decided earlierBrings a question back · §37 I move to reconsider the vote on… No Yes Varies No Majority In order

Reading the table

The ranked motions are listed in their order of precedence: while one is pending, any motion higher up is in order and lower ones must wait. Incidental motions arise as needed, and the motions that bring a question back are made when nothing else is pending. Choose what is pending and the last column shows what you can move now.

“Interrupt” means the motion can be made while another member has the floor. “Second” means another member must second it. The vote is what adopts it, and two-thirds means at least two thirds of the votes cast.

Your rules come first

Robert's Rules are default rules: they apply only where the law, your bylaws or your own special rules of order say nothing different. Small boards and committees often relax formalities such as seconds. This sheet follows Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised, 12th edition (2020), and the section numbers (§) refer to that edition.

Sources

Questions

What does tabling a motion do?

Laying on the table sets a question aside temporarily for something urgent, by a majority vote without debate. It is not a way to kill a motion. To move an item to the next meeting, postpone it to a certain time.

How do we end debate?

A member who has the floor moves the previous question. It needs a second and a two-thirds vote. Calling out “Question!” does not end debate.

Can the mover accept a friendly amendment?

Not alone. Once the chair has stated a motion it belongs to the meeting, so any amendment is adopted by a vote or by unanimous consent.

Can the chair vote?

On a small board or a committee, yes, like any member. In a larger meeting the chair votes only by ballot or when the vote would change the result, such as making or breaking a tie.