Classification of Motions | Order of Precedence (see note) |
Motions | Can interrupt speaker? | Requires Second? | Can be debated? | Can be amended? | Can be reconsidered? | Vote Required |
1. PRIVILEGED MOTIONS – highest in rank and of such importance that they permit the main business of the body to be set aside. | 1 | To fix time to adjourn (to set time and place in which to meet again) §22 | No | Yes | No | Date, hour, and place only | Yes | Majority |
2 | To adjourn (to close the meeting) §21 | No; nor made during voting | Yes | No | No | No | Majority |
3 | To take a recess (Note: privileged only when another question pending) §20 | No | Yes | No, nor are amendments | As to length only | No | Majority |
4 | To raise a question of privilege (to protect the rights of the body or an individual) §19 | Yes, if situation is urgent | No | No | No | No | Chair decides; if appealed, majority decides |
5 | To call for the orders of the day (to insist on conforming to order of business) §18 | Yes | No | No | No | No | Upon call of one member, two-thirds vote sets aside |
II. SUBSIDIARY MOTIONS – used to help dispose of other motions. Can only be offered in order of rank and must be voted on before returning to original motion. | 6 | To lay on the table (to postpone temporarily to handle other things) §17 | No; all subsidiary motions are out of order when another person has the floor | Yes | No, but maker should state reason | No | No
| Majority |
7 | To call for the previous question (to stop debate and bring question to vote) §16 | Yes | No | No | Only before any vote taken, not afterward | Two-Thirds |
8 | To limit or extend limits of debate (to modify allowable time for discussion) §15 | Yes | No | Yes | Yes, any time before limits exhausted | Two-Thirds |
9 | To postpone to a definite time (to delay action) §14 | Yes | Limited to postponement | Yes, as to time only | Yes | Majority |
10 | To refer to a committee (to place in hands of a small group for study) §13 | Yes | Limited to to-refer only | Yes | Only if committee has yet to begin | Majority |
11 | To amend an amendment §12 | Yes | Yes, when motion applied to is debatable | No | Yes | Majority, even in cases where original motion requires two-thirds |
To amend (to change wording of a pending motion) §12 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
12 | To postpone indefinitely (to prevent vote on main question) §11 | Yes | Yes, and can go into merits of original | No | Positive vote only | Majority |
III. THE MAIN MOTION – lowest in rank; all others take precedence | 13 | To make a main motion (Note: only one main motion may be considered at a time) §10 | No; out of order when another has the floor | Yes, unless made by a board or committee | Yes, maker of motion has right to speak first in debate if he or she so chooses. §4 | Yes | Yes | Majority; Two-thirds if motion suspends any rules of order or parliamentary rights |
IV. INCIDENTAL MOTIONS – these arise “incidentally” out of discussions of pending business; they take precedence and must be decided before voting on the question from which they arise. They are lower in rank than privileged motions and generally yield to the motion to lay on the table. All incidental motions are of equal rank. None can be displaced by any of the others. | To raise a point of order (to call attention to a violation of the rules) §23 | Yes, if situation is urgent | No | No, unless chair submits the point to a vote of the assembly | No | No | Chair decides; if appealed, majority decides |
To appeal decision of the Chair (to obtain opinion of the body on a Chair’s ruling) §24 | Yes, but must be made at time of ruling | Yes | Yes; unless pending question undebateable | No | Yes | Majority; tie vote sustains Chair’s decision |
To suspend the rules (to permit action prohibited by a particular rule) §25 | No | Yes | No | No | No | Two-Thirds, more if rule relates to minority of less than one-third. |
To object to the consideration of a matter (to prevent discussion of irrelevant questions) §26 | Yes | No | No | No | Negative vote only | Two-Thirds vote against required to sustain objection |
To call for a division of a question (to discuss by parts for more careful consideration) §27 | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | Majority |
To consider by paragraph or seriatim (to open just selected parts to more debate and amendment) §28 | No | Yes | No | No | No | Majority |
To call for a division of the body (to determine the accuracy of the voice vote) §29 | Yes | No | No | No | No | No vote, a single member can demand a division |
To obtain a vote on a question in some form other than voice or division §30 | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | Majority |
To close the polls §30 | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | Two-thirds |
To open the polls §30 | No | Yes | No | Yes | Negative vote only | Majority |
To determine method of making nominations §31 | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Majority |
To close nominations §31 | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | Two-Thirds |
To reopen nominations §31 | No | Yes | No | Yes | Negative vote only | Majority |
To make a parliamentary inquiry (to secure parliamentary info when in doubt) §32a | Yes, if situation is urgent | No | No | No | No | Chair decides; if appealed, majority decides |
To make a point of information (to request information) §32b | Yes, if situation is urgent | No | No | No | No | No vote taken |
To withdraw or modify a motion §32c | only by person making motion | Only if made by maker | No | No | Negative vote only | Chair decides; if appealed, majority decides |
To read papers §32d | Yes | No | No | Negative vote only | Majority |
To be excused from a duty §32e | Yes | Yes | Yes | Negative vote only | Majority |
For any other privilege §32f | Yes | No | No | Yes | Majority |
To make nominations §45 | No | No | Yes | No | Only before person has learned of it and hasn’t declined | Majority |
V. MISCELLANEOUS MOTIONS – has characteristics of their own that does not fit into other categories. Takes precedence over no pending question; is in order only during that meeting or the next; it is proposed under “new business.” Yields to privileged and incidental motions, but not to subsidiary. | To take from the table (to reconsider business temporarily laid aside) §33 | No, but maker can claim precedence in being recognized for the purpose of making this motion ahead of a new main motion | Yes | No | No | Not applicable | Majority |
To rescind or amend something previously adopted §34 | No | Yes | Only if motion reconsidered is debatable. | No | Negative vote only | Two thirds of present or majority of total membership |
To discharge a committee (to take matters out of a committee’s hands) §35 | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Negative vote only | Two thirds of present or majority of total membership |
To reconsider a vote (to vote again on something previously handled) §36 | Only if speaker is not talking | Yes | Yes | No | No | Majority |
Note: can only be initiated by someone on the prevailing side. |
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