Questions & Answers

Real questions people have asked our AI Parliamentarian, lightly edited and anonymized. Have your own? Ask it here.

What is the quorum for a 7-member board under Robert's Rules

Asked September 2026

Our board has 7 members. Can 3 members constitute a quorum, or does it have to be 4?

Can a member block repeated reintroduction of a defeated bylaw amendment

Asked September 2026

A bylaw amendment has been voted down twice and then reintroduced. Can a general member make a motion to prevent it from being voted on again?

What must the chair do if quorum is lost during a meeting

Asked September 2026

A quorum is present at the start of a session but members leave partway through. What is the chair's responsibility regarding further votes?

Can the president or chair introduce new business at a meeting

Asked September 2026

Can the president introduce new business items?

What is the difference between a main motion and a subsidiary motion

Asked September 2026

What is the difference between a main motion and a subsidiary motion, and why does the distinction matter for the order in which motions are handled?

Do meeting minutes record who was absent and their reasons

Asked September 2026

Do the minutes reflect who was absent and the reason for their absence?

What does it mean to accept a committee report as information

Asked September 2026

When a committee report is accepted as information, what does that mean?

Does closed session need to be on the agenda under Robert's Rules

Asked September 2026

Does a closed session (executive session) need to be listed on the agenda in advance, or can the board simply move into one during a meeting?

What is the correct procedure for handling a substitute motion

Asked September 2026

What is the correct procedure for handling a substitute motion?

Who can make a motion to reconsider and under what conditions

Asked September 2026

A member wants to reconsider a vote taken earlier in the same session after new information comes to light. Under what conditions can a motion to reconsider be made, and who may ma...

Can a committee divide a motion to approve a proposal into separate votes on criteria and description

Asked September 2026

If a written proposal includes both an internal set of criteria addressed on the application and a separate description intended for outward-facing published information, can a com...