Roberts Rules of

Order

Who was Robert?

U.S. Army Major Henry

Martyn Robert (1837
1923 )
Rules are based loosely
on the rules of the U.S.
House of
Representatives
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Roberts Rules
Roberts Rules
provide for fair and
orderly meetings and
promote the rights of:
The majority to decide
The minority to be heard
Absent members to be
protected
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How formal should you be?

The group should decide

based on:
The size of the group
The purpose of the
meeting
Make the rules work
for your organization
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Hierarchy of
Governing

Organizations are
governed by
Applicable state laws
Organizations
Constitution/AI
Bylaws
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Bylaws and Roberts

Rules
Bylaws are rules set by an
organization to
define the structure of an
organization.
describe the rights and
responsibilities of members.
describe the group's decisionmaking process.
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Bylaws and Roberts

Rules
Bylaws
Contains rules that cannot be
suspended and cannot be
changed at a single meeting
Can be amended with previous
notice and a two thirds vote.

Basic Rules
All members are
equal and have
equal rights
To attend meetings
To make motions
To debate
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Meetings-

a single official gathering of the

members of the organization in one
room, with a quorum present to
transact business. The members do
not leave the meeting except for a
short recess, until the business has
been completed or the chair declares
the meeting adjourned.

Roles of the
officers
Presiding Officer
Calls the meeting to
order
Announces the
business before the
assembly

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Determines the
presence of a
quorum

Roles of Officers
Presiding Officer
Recognizes members
entitled to the floor
Processes motions
Rules on points of
order

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Conducts meetings
in a fair and impartial
manner

Roles of Officers
Secretary
Works with the president
to prepare the agenda
Distributes the agenda
Keeps notes of what
occurred at the meeting
Prepares and distributes
minutes
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Basic Rules
A quorum must be present
to do business
If a quorum is not present
the only business that can
be conducted is
To set the next meeting.
To adjourn the meeting
To recess the meeting

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Agenda
Roberts order of business:
Reading and approval of
minutes.
Reports of officers and
standing committees.
Reports of ad hoc
committees
Unfinished business
New business
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Order of business
If minutes have
been sent to
members, no need
to read them.
They can be
approved by
general consent
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Order of business
Reports from Committees

If reports are
distributed ahead of
time, the presiding
officer can simply ask if
there are any additions.
If not, the meeting can
move on.
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Order of business
But Any motions from a
committee report
should be taken up
immediately.

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Order of business
Unfinished
business
Items on the agenda
of the previous
meeting that were
postponed

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An item that was laid

on the table at the
current or previous
meeting.

Motions
A formal proposal by a
member that the assembly
take a certain action
Business is brought before
an assembly by the motion
of a member
Basic form is a main
motion
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Motions

Member makes the

motion
Uses the word "move"

Another member
seconds the motion
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Motions
Prior to the chair stating
the question, the motion
can be amended
By same maker, seconder
must agree
By another member, second
is not necessary if maker
accepts
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Motions
The chair "states the
question"
Ensures clarity by restating the motion
Only the chair can place
business before the
assembly
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Motions
Once the question is
stated, the motion is
pending and open to
debate
At this point, the motion
belongs to the assembly
And only the assembly
can modify it
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Motions
Maker of motion
has the right to
speak first
Chair assigns floor

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Debating Motions
One question at a time and
one speaker at a time.
The first person to seek
recognition of the presiding
officer should speak first

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Debating Motions
Comments should be
directed to the chair.
Avoid directing
comments to other
members.
Avoid personal
comments.
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Be courteous

Debating Motions
Anyone who has not spoken
gets recognized before anyone
who has.
It is good practice to alternate
sides.
No member may speak more
than 2 times on a motion.
Speeches limited to 10
minutes!
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Debating Motions
Main motions must receive full
debate
To close debate
Move the previous question
Move to end debate at a
certain time
or
Move to limit the length of
speeches
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Limiting Debate
Motions to limit
debate
Require two thirds vote
because they suspend
the fundamental right of
every member

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Voting
Voting
General consent If
there is no
objection..
By voice, show of
hands, rising vote,
ballot , roll call
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Voting
If there is even one
objection to a vote
by unanimous
consent, there
must be a formal
vote.

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Voting
Roberts says
a majority vote is a
majority of voting
members.

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Voting
A majority is more
than half. If the
vote is a tie, the
vote fails.

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Voting
Chair announces
result
"Carried," or
"adopted"
"Lost," or
"rejected"
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Motions
Once a decision
made, an identical
motion must not be
brought forward at
the same meeting

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Types of Motions
Main Motion
Subsidiary Motions
Incidental Motions

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Motions
Main motions
Can be made only
when no other
motion is pending
Only one main
motion at a time

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Subsidiary Motions
Subsidiary motions help
deal with the main
motion
Amend it
Limit or extend debate on
it
Refer it
Postpone it
Kill it
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Incidental Motions
Point of Order
Are the rules being
followed?

Suspend the rules

Does what youre doing
violate your own rules?

Division of the question

Can parts be voted on
separately?
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Mistakes to avoid
Lay on the table
vs. postpone to a
certain time
Call the question
Friendly
Amendment
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Lay on the table

The motion to lay
on the table is used
when you have
sudden unexpected
business to deal
with.
Needs a motion to
bring back
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Postpone to a certain time

Used if more time is

needed to make a
decision
Automatically comes up
as an item of unfinished
business at the next
meeting
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Call the question

Speaker must be
recognized by the
chair
Needs a second
Requires a 2/3 vote

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Friendly
Amendment
Who owns the
motion?
Once the chair states
the motion and debate
begins, the assembly
owns the motion.
Only the assembly can
amend the motion
through majority vote
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Point of Order
Any member may
call a point of order
when he believes
someone is acting
improperly
Must happen when
the violation occurs
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Robert says --a violation never

challenged is never
a violation.

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Cant Remember the Rules?

Ask yourself --What is the fairest

thing to do to protect
the rights of all
members?
Roberts Rules
promote
fairness
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Cant Remember the Rules?

What is the most

logical thing to do to
solve the problem?
Roberts Rules
are very
logical

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Cant Remember the Rules?

What is the most

efficient thing to do to
accomplish the groups
goals?

Roberts rules
promote
efficiency
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Sources
Kline, Charles. ROBERT, HENRY
MARTYN (18371923). The
handbook of Texas online.
http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook
/online/articles/RR/fro96.html
Robert, H.M. (1981). Roberts Rules
of Order Newly Revised. Glenview,
IL: Scott, Foresman and Company.
Sylvester, N. (2004) . The Complete
Idiots Guide to Roberts Rules. New
York, NY: Alpha.
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