1. Parliamentary Procedure Training
April Bowman,
Extension Agent,
4-H Youth Development
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

2. Parliamentary Procedure
Officers
Gavel
Order of Business
Main Motion
Voting
Other Motions
Nomination for Office
Postponement
Review
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

3. Parliamentary Procedure
Constitution and By-Laws
Name
Object
Members
Officers
Meetings
Executive Board
Committees
Parliamentary Authority (typically Robert’s Rules of Order)
How to amend the by-laws
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

4. President Check on arrangements for the meeting.
Preside over all meetings.
Appoint Committees as needed.
Cast deciding vote in the event of a tie.
The Chair is the person presiding over the meeting and not necessarily the chair.
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

5. Vice-President Learn the duties of the President.
Be prepared to perform these duties on short notice.
Assist other officers in arranging for and conducting meetings.
Usually serves as chairman of the program committee.
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

6. Secretary Call or check the roll and keep a record of attendance.
Keep a record of the minutes of all meetings.
Read the minutes when the president calls for them.
Take care of club correspondence. Send and post notices of meetings.
Call the meeting to order when the president and vice-president are absent.
Provide your leader or advisor with copies of the club roll and reports if applicable.
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

7. Secretary - Minutes Organization Name
Date, Time and Location of Meeting
Acting Chair and Secretary
If the Previous Meetings minutes were approved or approved as corrected
Any main motions and amendments
Name of person making motion
List results of any counted votes
Secondary motions needed for clarity
Points of Order and Ruling
Adjourn Time
Secretaries initials and date (or signature)
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

8. Treasurer
Keep an accurate record of all money received and deposit it in a bank in the name of the club by treasurer.
Pay all bills on action by club and approval of club leader if applicable.
Sign checks.
Keep an accurate record of all money spent.
Be prepared to give a report at each club meeting of money received and spent and balance in the treasury.
Complete the end of year treasury forms as required.
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

9. Treasurer’s Report Club Name Beginning Balance and Date
Amount of Money Received, Date & Purpose
Amount of Expenses, Person, Date & Purpose
Closing Balance
Back Checks not shown on bank statement +
Deposits not shown on bank statement -
Adjusted balance = Bank Statement
Treasurer’s, President’s Signature and Date
Guerdat, K.G. North Carolina 4-H Club Treasurer Record Book
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

10. Reporter
Write a brief report of club meetings and activities for newspapers. Tell what was done and by whom.
Learn to write interesting news items and send them in on time.
Make a collection of all newspaper items referring to your club for permanent records kept by secretary.
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

11. Parliamentarian Calls points of order
Rules on points in question concerning parliamentary procedure
Helps with voting procedures in club meetings.
Maintains parliamentary rules and order in the meeting.
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

12. Use of the Gavel Two taps of the gavel to call the meeting to order
Three taps of the gavel to stand
One tap of the gavel to sit
One tap after the ruling of a vote on a motion
One tap after announcing adjournment
One sharp tap used to get members to come to order
Series of sharp taps used to get members to come to order
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

13. Order of Business Call to order with two taps of the gavel
Pledge of Allegiance and 4-H Pledge
(three taps of the gavel to stand, one to sit)
Song and/or Thought for the day
Roll Call
Reading and Approval of minutes
Treasurer’s Report
Committee Reports
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

14. Order of Business (cont’d)
Unfinished (old) Business
New Business
Program (educational presentation, talk, demonstration, skit, review of program for next meeting, etc.)
Announcements (including deadlines and time for next meeting)
Adjourn (one tap)
Recreation
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

15. Parliamentary Procedure
Main Motion
Used when someone wants an idea considered, an action to be taken or a rule or policy to be adopted (you want something to be done)
Anyone can make a main motion except the chair
Begin by standing and saying Madame/Mr. President
The chair will then recognize you by saying your name
You then say “I move…” and sit down
The motion must then be seconded by a member (second)
Discussion follows
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

16. Parliamentary Procedure
Main Motion
The chairperson will ask for any more discussion. If there is none, the main motion will be restated and then a vote will be taken: typically by saying yeah or nay.
The chairperson rules on the vote and asks the secretary to record.
If a member disagrees with the ruling on the vote by the chairperson, they can call for a “division” from his/her seat.
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

17. Parliamentary Procedure
Voting
Voice vote: Say “aye” or “nay”
Counted vote: Standing or raise right hand
Division
2/3
Suspend the rules
Close nominations
Previous question (stop discussion)
Rescind a motion (get rid of a motion after passed)
Ballot vote: Write your vote on a piece of paper and place in a central location to be read by the president.
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

18. Bowman, 05; Revised 09

19. Parliamentary Procedure
Voting - The President only votes:
In the event of a tie
To make a vote a tie
When secret ballot is used
When they are part of the assembly
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

20. Parliamentary Procedure
Division
Used when a member disagrees with the President’s ruling.
A “division” does not need a second, nor does the member have to be recognized.
The chairperson should ask for a counted or hand vote.
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

21. Parliamentary Procedure
Someone makes a good motion, but one part of it should be changed, how do you do it?
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

22. Parliamentary Procedure
Amendments
Motions can be amended by three ways.
Add words
Take out words
Substitute words
Must be seconded, they are debatable, can be amended and require a majority vote.
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

23. Parliamentary Procedure
Amendments
I move to amend the main motion by adding the word Moratock in front of Park.
I move to amend the main motion by taking out the words picnic shelter.
I move to amend the main motion by substituting the words at the park with “in the extension auditorium”.
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

24. Parliamentary Procedure
Amendments
I move to amend the main motion by (adding, taking out or substituting)…
Second
Discussion follows on the amendment
Vote on the AMENDMENT
IF the amendment passes, the floor is opened for discussion on the amended motion.
After discussion, a vote is taken on the amended main motion
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

25. Parliamentary Procedure
If there is a motion that you need more information about before you can make an informed decision what do you do with it?
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

26. In your motion you should state:
Refer to a Committee
A committee must report by the next two meetings or the motion dies and the secretary deletes it.
In your motion you should state:
How many are on the committee (usually an odd number to avoid ties)
Who appoints the committee
What power to give the committee (including when to report back)
I move to refer the motion to buy a new camera to a committee consisting of 3 people to be appointed by the President to report back to us at the next meeting.
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

27. Parliamentary Procedure
When a member, including the President does something that is against proper parliamentary procedure and the President does NOT correct it, what can you do to correct it?
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

28. Stand and say “I rise to a point of order”.
The President should then say, “State your Point”
The member will then state their point. For example: “the member to my right was not properly recognized before speaking”.
The President will then say, “your point is well taken” or “your point is not well taken”.
If the President says your point is not well taken, but you feel as if you are right, then you should appeal the decision of the chair.
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

29. Parliamentary Procedure
If someone calls for “question” from the floor without being recognized what action does the chair take?
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

30. Question
A member may call “question” from the floor without being recognized. It means that they are ready to vote and NO ACTION is taken by the chair.
If a member rises, is recognized by the chair and says “I move the previous question”, and another member seconds the motion then the chair should immediately ask for a counted vote on the decision to stop debate.
IF the motion passes then debate is stopped and a vote is taken on the motion previously being discussed.
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

31. Parliamentary Procedure
Two Means of Taking Nominations for Office
Any office at one time
Individually
from highest ranking down
Closing one office before accepting nominations for the next
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

32. Stand and be recognized
Nominating for Office
Stand and be recognized
I would place in nomination for the office of (name of office), (name of person).
The member will be seated. (no second)
The President will ask for additional nominations.
Someone should make a motion to cease nominations (requires a second and no discussion).
The President will ask for a 2/3 (counted) vote.
If no one moves to close, the chair should ask “Are there any more nominations?” three times before declaring nominations closed.
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

33. Nominating for Office (cont’d)
Once the nominations are closed, you may proceed in one of two ways.
If there is no competition for any of the offices, a member may rise, address the chair, and after being recognized say “I move that the slate of officers be elected by acclamation”.
If there is competition, speeches by the nominees for each office should be given and a ballot vote taken.
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

34. Parliamentary Procedure
If you have a main motion on the floor and something else needs to be taken care of what motion can you make to postpone the motion?
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

35. Parliamentary Procedure
Lay on the Table
To interrupt the pending business so as to permit doing something else immediately.
Must be seconded, is not debatable.
Requires a majority vote.
Does not include a time to reconvene.
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

36. To Postpone…. To a certain time Indefinitely
Put off the pending question to a definite day, meeting, or hour, or until after a certain event.
Must be seconded, is debatable, is amendable
Requires a majority vote
Indefinitely
Useful to dispose of a badly chosen motion
Must be seconded, is debatable, is not amendable
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

37. Parliamentary Procedure
Miscellaneous Information
There can only be one MAIN motion on the floor at one time.
A member can NOT talk against his or her own motion.
A member CAN vote against his or her own motion
A vote that ends in a tie, fails.
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

38. Parliamentary Procedure
Miscellaneous Information (cont’d)
Only Members can vote (not parents, guests or visitors).
The chairperson should ask for a standing vote when:
A 2/3’s vote is needed (to suspend the rules, to close nominations, previous question and rescind a motion)
Someone has called for a division
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

39. Summary
Parliamentary Procedure takes lots of practice, but is fun, as well as quick, efficient, organized and democratic.
The majority rules, yet the rights of the minority are protected.
Presidents should meet with their advisor or club leader before the meeting to determine the agenda, so that they (the President) can run the meeting.
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

40. Review What should you do before speaking?
Why is it important for the motion process to be orderly?
What can happen if the President doesn’t do a good job of following this process?
What two words should you begin a motion with?
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

41. Review Skits Order of Business Matching Terms
Who Wants to be a Parliamentarian?
Bowman, 05; Revised 09

42. References
Guerdat, K.G. North Carolina 4-H Club Treasurer’s Record Book. Raleigh. North Carolina State University.
Parliamentary Procedure Online!. Retrieved December 31, 2008, from
Robert, III, H.M., Evans, W., Honemann, D., Balch, T. Robert’s rules of order newly revised. 10th edition. Massachusetss: Perseus, 2000.
Bowman, 05; Revised 09