Running a meeting: Robert's Rules
When the state plan, your county plan and any adopted convention rules don't answer a question, the latest edition of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised decides it (2-101, 2-102). Most of what happens on a meeting floor comes from Robert's Rules.
Which rule wins
- 1. The state Plan of Organization (2-101).
- 2. Your county plan, if your county adopted one. It can add to the state plan but not contradict it (2-102).
- 3. Convention rules properly adopted at that meeting (2-101).
- 4. Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised, current edition (12th, 2020), for everything else (2-101).
- Plan rules that override Robert's Rules: no proxy voting (9-210), and nobody is elected after adjournment (9-203).
Basics
- No business without a quorum. The plan sets quorums for party meetings, for example 1 at a precinct meeting unless the county plan sets more (3-303). Robert's Rules covers what happens without one (RONR §40).
- Speak only after the chair recognizes you. Debate goes through the chair, not member to member (RONR §42, §43).
- A majority means more than half of the votes cast. Blanks and abstentions don't count (RONR §44).
- The chair runs the meeting and should stay neutral while presiding (RONR §43, §47).
How a motion works
- A member makes the motion, another member seconds it, and the chair states it to the meeting (RONR §4, §10).
- Members debate, then the chair puts it to a vote and announces the result (RONR §4).
- Amend: change the wording before the vote. Majority (RONR §12).
- Refer: send it to a committee. Majority (RONR §13).
- Postpone to a set time: majority (RONR §14).
- Previous question: end debate and vote now. Two-thirds (RONR §16).
- Lay on the table: set it aside for something urgent. It is not a way to kill a motion (RONR §17).
- Suspend the rules: two-thirds, and it cannot override the plan or bylaws (RONR §25).
- Reconsider: only someone who voted on the winning side can move it, and only that day or the next meeting day of a session (RONR §37).
- Rescind: two-thirds, or majority with advance notice (RONR §35).
When the rules are broken
- Point of order: say it right when it happens. The chair must rule on it (RONR §23).
- Appeal: if you disagree with the chair's ruling, appeal. It needs a second and the meeting votes. A majority or a tie upholds the chair (RONR §24).
- Division: if a voice vote is unclear, any member can demand a standing vote (RONR §29).
- At party conventions the chair appoints a Parliamentarian to advise on procedure (8-102(a)). The county General Counsel also gives parliamentary advice (4-501).
Cheat sheet: second? debate? vote?
- Main motion: second yes, debatable, majority (RONR §10).
- Amend: second yes, debatable if the motion it changes is, majority (RONR §12).
- Refer to a committee: second yes, debatable on the referral only, majority (RONR §13).
- Postpone to a set time: second yes, debatable on the postponement only, majority (RONR §14).
- Limit or extend debate: second yes, not debatable, two-thirds (RONR §15).
- Previous question (vote now): second yes, not debatable, two-thirds (RONR §16).
- Lay on the table: second yes, not debatable, majority (RONR §17).
- Recess or adjourn: second yes, not debatable when another motion is pending, majority (RONR §20, §21).
- Point of order: no second, not debatable, the chair rules (RONR §23).
- Appeal: second yes, usually debatable, majority or tie upholds the chair (RONR §24).
- Suspend the rules: second yes, not debatable, two-thirds, cannot override the plan (RONR §25).
- Objection to consideration: no second, not debatable, two-thirds against kills it, raise it before debate starts (RONR §26).
- Division (standing vote): no second, no vote, any one member can demand it (RONR §29).
- Reconsider: second yes, debatable if the original was, majority, moved by someone on the winning side (RONR §37).
- Rescind: second yes, debatable, two-thirds, or majority with advance notice (RONR §35).
Script: annual precinct meeting
- Call to order: "The annual meeting of the ___ precinct will come to order. The time is ___."
- Sign-in: everyone signs in with full legal name, home address, phone and email if any (3-303(a)). Only Members registered in the precinct by January 31, plus new residents and new 18-year-olds, take part (3-302).
- Quorum: "We have ___ registered Republicans present. A quorum is present." One is enough unless the county plan sets more (3-303(b)).
- Agenda: "Is there any objection to the agenda as presented?" If none, it is adopted.
- Officers, odd years only: take nominations for Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary, then vote. Nominees must live in the precinct. Absent Members can be nominated if they filed under 9-203(b) or the nominator knows they are willing (3-304, 3-305).
- Delegates: 1 county convention delegate plus 1 per 100 Members registered January 31, unless the county executive committee allocates more, and an equal number of alternates. Fill every delegate seat before electing any alternate (3-306).
- Resolutions and other business, one motion at a time.
- Adjourn: "Is there any further business? Hearing none, the meeting is adjourned." Nobody can be elected after adjournment (3-306, 9-203).
- Afterward: the meeting Secretary promptly certifies the names, addresses, phones and emails of everyone elected, plus the sign-in register and the minutes, to the County Secretary and the County Credentials Committee Chair (3-307).
Buy the books
- Full rules: Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised, 12th edition, paperback, ISBN 9781541736696.
- Short official guide: Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised In Brief, 3rd edition, by the same authors, paperback, ISBN 9781541797703. Good for training.
About this page
- This is a summary in our own words, not the book. Robert's Rules is copyrighted. RONR section numbers refer to the 12th edition. Bring a copy to meetings.
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