Declaring: "I second."

[Guest Bob]

For a motion to have a second, is it necessary that a member declare:  "I second."  Or will simply a second vote suffice?

[Joshua Katz]

The procedure is for the member to make the motion, and some other member, without recognition, to say "I second."  If, however, no one seconded, and the chair went ahead and stated the motion anyway, and debate has begun, the absence of a second is immaterial.  By the time you get to voting, either there's a second or it doesn't matter anymore, so a second vote is irrelevant.

[jstackpo]

But don't get confused... if nobody offers a second the chair is free to ignore the proffered motion so it isn't entirely immaterial...  (RONR, page 36).   This can save a lot of time when someone makes a really dumb motion that nobody else even wants to touch.

[Dan Honemann]

5 hours ago, Guest Bob said:

For a motion to have a second, is it necessary that a member declare:  "I second."  Or will simply a second vote suffice?

A second vote? What do you mean by this?

[Joshua Katz]

6 hours ago, jstackpo said:

But don't get confused... if nobody offers a second the chair is free to ignore the proffered motion so it isn't entirely immaterial...  (RONR, page 36).   This can save a lot of time when someone makes a really dumb motion that nobody else even wants to touch.

Agreed.  As I said, "if the chair went ahead..."  I didn't mean to imply that the chair must, or should, do so.