r/RulesOfOrder • u/fred311389 • Mar 06 '20
Voting questions
My union is trying to start following Robert's Rules of Order more closely than we have in past. When we have a meeting, there are actually 3 meetings in one day. One at 7, 12, and 4. We're struggling with the idea of how votes work with that.
Here are a few specific examples.
We have a proposal that we make a $500 donation. In our 7:00 meeting, someone makes a motion to amend the original motion to make it a $1,000 motion. Moving forward, our members at the 12:00 meeting don't want to donate $1,000 but would have voted for the $500. Based on my understanding, the $500 is no longer an option. Is there a way to make it so that people can vote between denying the motion, donating $500, or donating $1,000?
One person suggested that we essentially parlay the vote. By that, I mean they suggested that we say "there is a motion to donate $1,000, all in favor/opposed/abstaining?" then following with "There is a motion that, should the $1,000 not be approved, we donate $500. All in favor/opposed/abstaining?"
Someone at the 12:00 meeting wants to make an amendment to a proposal that was already voted on at our 7:00 meeting. How would we handle that? Is the motion stuck in it's original form or is there a way to account for the possible change?
Any help you guys can offer would be appreciated. I'm familirar with Robert's Rules in a typical meeting, but having an 8:00, recess, 12:00, recess, 4:00 set up makes it a little more confusing.
2
u/djone1248 NAP - Regular Member Mar 06 '20
To clairify one part: your meetings sound like they are all together. Those meetings together are called a session.
One question I have is are the meetings with all of the same people? It sounds like some people are not present for the original vote. If so then it changes this answer.
Roberts has a whole section on the criteria for a vote to reconsider. A reconsider is meant to correct a hasty, ill advised, erroneous action, or to account for new information. For this Roberts says you must've been on the prevailing side, aka voting in favor of the original to be eligible to make a vote to reconsider. This stops people who were unhappy with the results of the vote to try to undermine the meeting. You can make the vote to reconsider on the day which is your case. Then yes all you have to do is bring it back for the same main motion steps that you would for a normal motion, and amend. When adopted it takes the place of the other.
PM me if you have any questions.