PARLIAMENTARIAN BEGINNER’S GUIDE (MUST-KNOWS ONLY)
For the person advising the chair — not running the meeting.
1. YOUR ONLY THREE JOBS
If you only do these three things, you’re already doing the job.
- Keep the chair (presiding officer) on the correct step of the process.
- Stop anything that is out of order.
- Tell the chair what to say next when they get stuck.
2. THE 5 STEPS OF ANY MOTION (YOUR ANCHOR)
Every decision should follow this order:
- A member makes a motion.
- Another member seconds it.
- The chair states the motion (“It has been moved and seconded that…”).
- Debate happens (if allowed – check out the cheat sheet).
- Vote + announce the result.
Your job: Make sure none of these steps get skipped.
3. THE 5 THINGS YOU MUST CATCH
If you catch nothing else, catch these:
1. A second is missing.
📌 NOTE: IF a committee is the one making the motion, a second IS NOT needed.
Quiet cue: “A second is needed.”
2. Debate starts before the motion is stated.
Quiet cue: “State the motion first.”
3. Debate drifts off-topic.
Quiet cue: “Remind them debate is on the motion only.”
4. Someone tries to jump ahead.
Examples: amending when nothing is pending; voting while someone has the floor.
Quiet cue: “Out of order at this time.”
5. Chair forgets to restate before voting.
Quiet cue: “Restate the motion for the vote.”
4. MOTIONS YOU MUST RECOGNIZE
Just these four:
1. Main Motion
“I move that…”
Used to make a decision.
2. Amendment
“I move to amend by…”
Changes the main motion — can’t happen unless a main motion exists.
3. Point of Order
“Point of order!”
Used when someone believes rules aren’t being followed — no second, no debate.
4. Call for the Vote (Previous Question)
“I move to close debate.”
Requires 2/3 vote to CLOSE the debate. No debate allowed. If passed the chair states the motion and calls to vote with no further discussion.
5. YOUR QUICK-PHRASE TOOLKIT
Neutral prompts the chair can use instantly:
- “Debate is only on the motion.”
- “A second is needed.”
- “We are not at that step yet.”
- “The motion on the floor is…”
- “We will now vote.”
- “The motion carries/fails.”
6. YOUR TWO SAFETY CHECKS BEFORE ANY VOTE
Ask yourself:
- Do we know the exact wording of what we’re voting on?
- Have all required steps happened?
If either answer is “no,” stop the chair.
7. WHAT YOU DON’T NEED TO KNOW
Cut yourself some slack. You do NOT need to memorize:
- Fancy motion trees
- Ranking of all 15+ motion types
- Parliamentary deep-dives
- Bylaw exceptions
- Debate rules for every scenario
- Special meeting tricks
You need five steps, four motion types, and six phrases.
Everything else can wait! 🤓
BONUS. DEBATE CHEATS
When debate is allowed, when it’s not, and exactly what the chair should say.
WHEN DEBATE IS NOT ALLOWED
Debate must NOT happen on the following motions:
- Point of Order
- Previous Question (close debate)
- Lay on the Table
- Plain Adjourn (“I move to adjourn”)
- Any motion made while another motion is already pending and debate would break the sequence
What the chair should say each time:
“This motion is not debatable. We will proceed to vote.”
or
“Debate is not in order on this motion. We will move directly to the vote.”
For Previous Question specifically:
“The previous question has been moved. This motion is not debatable. A two-thirds vote is required. We will proceed to vote.”
For Point of Order:
“State your point.”
(Chair rules, no debate.)
If appealed (someone “appeals the decision of the chair”. i.e. calls for the body to vote on the chair’s decision):
“This motion is not debatable. We will proceed to vote on sustaining the chair.”
yes → the chair’s ruling stands & no → the chair’s ruling is overturned
That’s it. No discussion. No “Are we ready to vote?” No back-and-forth.
WHEN DEBATE IS ALLOWED
Debate IS allowed on:
- Main motions
- Amendments
- Motions to Refer/Commit
- Motions to Postpone
- Qualified Adjourn (adjourn with a time)
- Most motions that change or affect business (unless specifically listed as non-debatable)
What the chair should say after stating the motion:
“Is there any debate?”
or
“Is there discussion?”
To close debate correctly:
“Is there any further debate?”
(wait briefly)
“Seeing none, we will proceed to vote.”
No rushing. No implying debate should end. Just a clean check-in.
QUICK REMINDER FOR THE PARLIAMENTARIAN
You should quietly cue the chair:
- If debate is allowed:
“Ask for debate.” - If debate is not allowed:
“Not debatable — go straight to the vote.”
