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Motions by the President?

Started by JohnA10 • 3 replies • 2110 views

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JohnA10 (Illinois)
Posts: 8
Posted:
We need some help with Robert's Rules of Order. Our Bylaws require that Board meetings be chaired by the President and conducted according to Robert’s Rules of Order. The Bylaws allow the President to vote only in the case of a tie. Under these circumstances, is the President allowed to make motions or to second motions?
BruceF1 (Connecticut)
Posts: 2,535
Posted:
Sure, if the president is a director, he cannot be deprived of the same rights available to every other director. All he has to do is turn the gavel over to the vice president and then he can make his motion and debate it. (That's stated in Roberts Rules).

Your bylaws take precedence over Roberts Rules, but in reality, the provision that permits the president to vote only in the case of a tie is rather meaningless because it simply restates what is in Roberts Rules. If you follow Roberts Rules, the president, to preserve the impartiality of the chair, typically never votes unless his vote will affect the outcome. In other words if the vote is a tie and the president feels the motion should pass, he votes in the affirmative. If there is a tie and the president feels the motion should fail, he doesn't vote at all (a tie is not a majority and doesn't pass). Thus, the president always votes last, or doesn't vote at all.
BruceF1 (Connecticut)
Posts: 2,535
Posted:
John,

I should add that for small boards and committees, Roberts Rules does not require the formality of the president relinquishing the chair to make a motion or to debate on any motion. Roberts Rules still states that the president shouldn't vote except when his vote would affect the outcome (as in the case of a tie).
JohnA10 (Illinois)
Posts: 8
Posted:
Thank you, Bruce. Robert’s Rules can be very intimidating for the uninitiated.

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