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Rosenberg's Rules of Order: Simple Parliamentdry Procedure for the 21st Century be placed on "hold." The motion may contain a specific time in which the item can come back to the body: "I move we table this item until our regu- lar meeting in October." Or the motion may contain no specific time for the return of the item, in which case a motion to take the item off the table and bring it back to the body will have to be taken at a future meeting. A motion to table an item (or to bring it bacl� to the body) requires a simple majoriry vote. A motion to limit debate. The most common form of this motion is to say: "I move the previous question" or "I move the question" or "I call for the question." When a member of the body makes such a motion, the member is really saying. "I've had enough debate. Let's get on with the vote." When such a motion is made, the chair should ask for a second to the motion, stop debate, and vote on the motion to limit debate. The motion to limit debate requires a two-thirds vote of the body. Note that a motion to limit debate could include a time limit. For example: "I move we limit debate on this agenda item to 15 minutes." Even in this format, the If you are running the B Robert's Rules of �rder is useful handbook. motion to limit debate requires a two- thirds vote of the body. A similar mot- ion is a motion to object to consideration ofan item. This mouon is nor debatable, and if passed, precludes the body from even considering an item on the agenda. It also requires a two-thirds vote. Majority and Super-Majority Votes In a democracy, decisions are made with a simple majoriry vote. A tie vote means the motion fails. So in a seven-member body, a vote of 4-3 passes the motion. A vote of 3-3 with one abstention means -�} League of California Cities the motion fails. If one member is ab- sent and the vote is 3-3, the motion still fails. All motions require a simple majoriry, but there are a few exceptions. The exceptions occur when the body is taking an action that effectively cuts off the ability of a minority of the body to take an action or discuss an item. These extraordinary motions require a two-thirds majority (a super-majority) to pass: Motion to limit debate. Whether a member says, "I move the previous question," "I move the question," "I call for the question" or "I move to limit debate," it all amounts to an attempt to cut off the abiliry of the minoriry to dis- cuss an item, and it requires a two-thirds vote to pass. Motion to close nominations. When choosing officers of the body, such as the chair, nominations are in order either from a nominating committee or from the floor of the body. A motion to close nominations effectively cuts off the right of the minoriry to nominate officers, and it requires a two-thirds vote to pass. ritish Parliamenty � clan�l� and. c�uit� Motion to object to the consideration of a question. Normally, such a motion is unnecessary, because the objecdonable item can be tabled or defeated straight up. However, when members of a body do not even want an item on the agenda to be considered, then such a motion is in order. It is not debatable, and it requires a two-thirds vote to pass. Motion to suspend the rules. This motion is debatable, but requires a two- thirds vote to pass. If the body has its own rules of order, conduct or proce- dure, this motion allows the body to sus- pend the rules for a particular purpose. For example, the body (a private club) might have a rule prohibiting the atten- dance at meetings by non-club mem- bers. A motion to suspend the rules would be in order to allow a non-club member to attend a meeting of the club on a particular date or on a particular agenda item. The Motion to Reconsider There is a special and unique motion that requires a bit of explanation all by itself: the motion to reconsider. A tenet of parliamentary procedure is finality. After vigorous discussion, debate and a vote, there must be some closure ro the issue. And so, after a vote is taken, the matter is deemed closed, subject only to reopening if a proper motion to reconsider is made. A motion to reconsider requires a majoriry vote to pass, but there are two special rules that apply only to the motion to reconsider. First is the matter of timing. A motion to reconsider must be made at the meet- ing where the item was first voted upon or at the very next meeting of the body. A motion to reconsider made at a later time is untimely. (The body, however, can always vote to suspend the rules and, by a two-thirds majority, allow a motion to reconsider to be made at another time.) Second, a motion to reconsider may be made only by certain members of the body. Accordingly, a motion to recon- sider may be made only by a member who voted in the majority on the origi- na] motion. If such a member has a change of heart, he or she may make the motion to reconsider (any other mem- ber of the body may second the motion). If a member who voted in the minority seeks to make the motion to reconsider, it must be ruled out of order. The pur- pose of this rule is finaliry. If a member of the minoriry could make a motion to reconsider, then the item could be brought back to the body again and again, which would defeat the purpose of finality.