What is a Meeting Motion?

A meeting motion is a formal proposal made by a member of a meeting group — such as a board, committee, or council — requesting that the body take a specific action or make a decision. Motions are basically the mechanism where talk and debate are turned into official decisions. Once someone makes a motion, it is usually discussed first, it might get tweaked or changed, and then it moves to a vote.

Motions are governed by established rules of procedure, like Robert’s Rules of Order, corporate bylaws, or statutory meeting rules. Using motions provides a means for making decisions in a transparent, consistent manner, with an option for incorporating them into the record of minutes.

What are the four types of motions in a meeting?

Motions are generally categorized into four main types, each serving a distinct procedural purpose:

• Main Motions: Introduce business or proposals for the group’s decision. For instance, “I move that the business expand into the Southeast Asia region.” This main motion will create the agenda for the discussion and will need to be approved by a majority vote to move forward.
• Subsidiary Motions: Modify or affect how the main motion will be handled. Some examples of subsidiary motions are to amend, delay, or refer the main motion to a committee. For example, you could make a motion to amend by changing a budgeted amount from $1 million to $800,000.
• Privileged Motions: Address urgent or important issues that are not part of the current business and need to be addressed. Examples of this would be: to adjourn the meeting, to call for a recess, and to address an issue of privilege. Privileged motions take precedence over all other motions.
• Incidental Motions: Arise from questions regarding procedures that occur during the meeting and will need to be decided immediately. Examples of incidental motions are points of order, appeals, and objections.

What are the methods of voting on a motion?

There are different ways members can vote on motions. But first, motions must be seconded before proceeding to become a vote item. The voting method will depend on both the formality of the meeting and how important the decision is. The most common methods are:

• Voice Vote: Members verbally indicate “aye” or “no.” This is quick and commonly used for routine decisions, but may lack precision in close votes.
• Show of Hands: Members raise their hands to indicate their vote. This gives a visible tally and usually ends up being more precise than a voice vote.
• Roll Call Vote: Each member’s vote is captured individually. This is typically used in formal meetings or higher-stakes moments like board resolutions or legislative-type actions.
• Ballot Vote: Members place votes anonymously, either by paper or electronically. This approach is chosen when confidentiality matters, like in elections or other delicate decisions where privacy is expected.
• Electronic Voting: Increasingly used in corporate settings and online meetings. It helps with quick and accurate tallying, and often includes audit trails.