Running a Meeting & Robert's Rules

The level of formality

You do not need to run every meeting like a National Convention. Scale your formality to the size of the room:

• The Executive Meeting (5–10 people). Highly informal. The Chair can make motions, people can speak multiple times, and decisions are often made by consensus ("Are we all good with this?").
• The General Membership Meeting (GMM) (20–100 people). Formal. Members must raise hands, wait to be recognized by the Chair, and motions must be formally moved and seconded. The Chair remains neutral and does not debate.
• The Convention (500+ people). Extremely formal. Microphones are strictly timed, points of order are tightly regulated, and the rulebook is followed to the letter.

The role of the Chair

The Chair (usually the Local President) is the referee, not a player.

• Keep order. The Chair's job is to keep order, manage the speakers list, and ensure the rules are followed.
• Stay neutral. The Chair does not debate on motions they are presiding over.
• Step down to debate. If the Chair wants to passionately debate a motion, they must step down from the chair and let the Vice-President run the meeting until the vote is over.
• Recognize speakers. Call on members in the order they rose. State the motion clearly before debate begins: "It is moved and seconded that…"

Quorum before you vote

No binding vote happens without quorum. Your local bylaws define the number — confirm it before you gavel in.

• Open with a count. The Secretary or Chair records members present. For a GMM, compare the head count to the quorum threshold in your bylaws.
• Lost quorum mid-meeting. If members leave and you drop below quorum, announce it and stop binding votes. You may still hear reports or set a date to reconvene.
• Special meetings. Bylaw amendments and officer removals often need higher notice and quorum. Read the exact article before you post the notice.

The standard agenda (order of business)

Most local meetings follow this flow:

1. Call to Order & Reading of the Statement of Respect/Solidarity
2. Adoption of the Agenda
3. Adoption of the Previous Meeting's Minutes
4. Treasurer's Financial Report
5. Executive / Steward Reports
6. Unfinished Business
7. New Business (where new motions are debated)
8. Adjournment

The life of a motion

A motion is a proposal for the local to take action. It follows this path:

1. Move — "I move that we donate $500 to the food bank."
2. Second — "I second the motion." (If there is no seconder, the motion dies instantly.)
3. Debate — The Chair asks for debate. The mover gets to speak first.
4. Vote — The Chair calls the question. "All in favor? All opposed?"
5. Result — The Chair declares the motion passed or defeated.

Which motion comes first?

When several motions are on the floor, Robert's Rules ranks subsidiary motions. The Chair must handle the highest-ranking pending motion before returning to debate on the main motion.

Fair debate on the floor

Debate keeps the room focused on the motion — not personalities.

• One speaker at a time. Members speak only when recognized by the Chair. Side conversations are out of order.
• Mover speaks first. The member who moved gets the first speech in debate. The seconder does not have to speak.
• Alternate sides. Good Chairs alternate for/against when possible so debate stays balanced.
• Time limits. Many locals limit speeches to two or three minutes at GMM. The Chair can entertain a motion to limit debate.
• Stay on the motion. Debate must address the motion on the floor — not unrelated grievances or personal attacks.

How votes are taken

The Chair states the question, then members vote. Record the result in the minutes.

• Voice vote. "All in favor? All opposed?" Fast and common for routine items.
• Show of hands. Use when the voice vote is unclear or when your bylaws require it.
• Ballot vote. Secret ballot for elections and sensitive decisions — follow your bylaws.
• Majority. Most main motions pass with a majority of votes cast (more than half).
• Two-thirds. Required for previous question, bylaw amendments, and other high-stakes actions — confirm your threshold.

When meetings go off the rails

These failures show up in every local eventually. Name them early and correct course.

• No seconder. Without a second, the motion dies. The Chair should say so clearly and move on.
• Chair debates. If the President argues from the chair, any member can raise a point of order.
• Lost quorum. Stop binding votes. Announce the shortfall and adjourn or continue with non-binding discussion only.
• Wrong precedence. If someone moves to amend while a motion to table is pending, rule on the table motion first.
• "Friendly amendment" myth. There is no friendly amendment without the floor's consent. An amendment still needs a motion, second, and vote.

Worked example: food bank donation

A member wants the local to donate $500 to the food bank at a general membership meeting. Here is how a well-run floor handles it:

1. New business — Chair recognizes Member A under New Business.
2. Main motion — Member A: "I move that Local ___ donate $500 to the campus food bank this month." Member B seconds.
3. Debate opens — Chair: "It is moved and seconded that… Is there debate?" Member A speaks in favor; Member C speaks against.
4. Amendment — Member D: "I move to amend by striking '$500' and inserting '$300'." Debate returns to the amendment first.
5. Vote on amendment — Amendment passes. The main motion is now $300 — debate can continue on the revised wording.
6. Final vote — Chair: "All in favor of the motion as amended? All opposed?" Motion passes; Secretary records the decision and follow-up task for the Treasurer.

Mini cheat sheet + full toolkit

Use these together: the guide for training, the cheat sheet live on the floor, and the pocket PDF when you are chairing without Wi‑Fi.

• Rules of Order cheat sheet — fourteen actions with copy-paste wording and chair notes
• Quorum & motion template PDF — blank motion lines and quorum checklist from Officer Learning module 4
• Board Notice Maker — post the GMM date, time, and location on the shop floor