Consideration of the Motion by Paragraph (or Seriatim)

[Keith Brannum]

I have done 5 years of debate and parliamentary procedure and I recently discovered this procedure of Considering a Motion by Seriatim. I am unclear as to whether or not this procedure can work on a motion that affecting changes to both a constitution (which requires 2/3s vote) and bylaws (majority vote).

How would this work after the Motion to Consider by Seriatim has been made? (RONR, 10th Edition, p.266)

[Sean Hunt]

I have done 5 years of debate and parliamentary procedure and I recently discovered this procedure of Considering a Motion by Seriatim. I am unclear as to whether or not this procedure can work on a motion that affecting changes to both a constitution (which requires 2/3s vote) and bylaws (majority vote).

How would this work after the Motion to Consider by Seriatim has been made? (RONR, 10th Edition, p.266)

As the name implies, and as is outlined at RONR 11th ed., p. 278, ll. 24-26, considering a motion seriatim has absolutely no effect on its ultimate adoption. It is merely a tool for dividing the debate and amendment of the motion, and not as to its final adoption. The threshold for finally adopting the motion should be whatever is appropriate to the motion as amended.

[Trina]

I have done 5 years of debate and parliamentary procedure and I recently discovered this procedure of Considering a Motion by Seriatim. I am unclear as to whether or not this procedure can work on a motion that affecting changes to both a constitution (which requires 2/3s vote) and bylaws (majority vote).

How would this work after the Motion to Consider by Seriatim has been made? (RONR, 10th Edition, p.266)

Are you suggesting that the assembly is working on a motion which includes changes to both constitution and bylaws, and that you expect to vote on this one motion while observing two different voting thresholds?

[Keith Brannum]

I am suggesting that I can call this motion and expect to amend the question based on seperate voting thresholds. Passing it normally is the question that I would like to know if it is possible.

[Trina]

I am suggesting that I can call this motion and expect to amend the question based on seperate voting thresholds. Passing it normally is the question that I would like to know if it is possible.

If your only question is what happens at the conclusion of consideration seriatim, read RONR (10th ed.) p. 269 ll. 11-12. The same information is on pp. 278-279 in the current (11th) edition. I don't know what you mean by 'amend the question based on separate voting thresholds' -- the final voting thresholds don't come in during the amendment process that may occur in the course of debate. Also, the assembly shouldn't be trying to consider two different motions (amendment to bylaws, amendment to constitution) at the same time -- this was the concern behind my earlier question.

[Josh Martin]

I have done 5 years of debate and parliamentary procedure and I recently discovered this procedure of Considering a Motion by Seriatim. I am unclear as to whether or not this procedure can work on a motion that affecting changes to both a constitution (which requires 2/3s vote) and bylaws (majority vote).

How would this work after the Motion to Consider by Seriatim has been made? (RONR, 10th Edition, p.266)

An assembly shouldn't attempt to modify two documents with two different voting thresholds in the same motion. If the assembly unwisely chooses to do so, however, and then chooses to consider the motion seriatim, I suppose you would go through article (and each section for articles with more than one section) of the Constitution and then do the same for the Bylaws if this is a complete revision. If it's a series of individual amendments being considered in one motion, you would go through each amendment. This does not seem advisable, however, since the motion would require a 2/3 vote for its adoption. If the amendments to the Bylaws were considered in a separate motion, they would require only a majority vote.

I am suggesting that I can call this motion and expect to amend the question based on seperate voting thresholds. Passing it normally is the question that I would like to know if it is possible.

The subsidiary motion to Amend requires a majority vote for adoption, regardless of the vote required for the underlying motion. So while the motion to adopt amendments for the Constitution and Bylaws would require a 2/3 vote, it would take only a majority vote to amend the amendments to either document.