Guest Marcia Asdal Posted January 12, 2012 at 07:21 PM Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 at 07:21 PM Is it necessary to record in the minutes which member seconded a motion? If not, can you tell me the reasoning behind this, if it is just not for the sake of brevity? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Edgar Posted January 12, 2012 at 07:37 PM Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 at 07:37 PM Is it necessary to record in the minutes which member seconded a motion? If not, can you tell me the reasoning behind this, if it is just not for the sake of brevity?The name of the seconder is not recorded because it doesn't matter who seconds a motion. For one thing, the seconder might actually be opposed to the motion. For another, once debate begins, the lack of a second is immaterial. Finally, in some instances, several members might second a motion at the same time.Others may come up with other reasons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Wynn Posted January 12, 2012 at 07:37 PM Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 at 07:37 PM Is it necessary to record in the minutes which member seconded a motion? If not, can you tell me the reasoning behind this, if it is just not for the sake of brevity?Seconds should not be recorded. Can you think of a reason why they should be? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Edgar Posted January 12, 2012 at 07:41 PM Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 at 07:41 PM Can you think of a reason why they should be?Sure. Because the minutes are a record of what was done and seconding a motion is doing something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Wynn Posted January 12, 2012 at 07:43 PM Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 at 07:43 PM Sure. Because the minutes are a record of what was done and seconding a motion is doing something.I mean a reason with any parliamentary significance. The second isn't recorded for the same reason that it isn't recorded that the member obtained the floor before making the motion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Harrison Posted January 12, 2012 at 07:44 PM Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 at 07:44 PM The name of the seconder is not recorded in the minutes unless the assembly orders it. Stay tuned for other thoughts but I think that the reason that the name of the seconder is not included in the minutes are two things. First, the purpose of a second is to show that at least one other member besides who made the motion wants to see the motion considered and that the motion was considered implies that there was a seconder (or a Point of Order wasn't raised that it wasn't seconded or it is a small assembly which does not require seconds to start off with) and who it was isn't important in the scheme of things. Also, the seconder doesn't have to be recognized by the Chair so in a large assembly it very well could be that the Secretary wouldn't know who called it out from the masses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Edgar Posted January 12, 2012 at 07:57 PM Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 at 07:57 PM The second isn't recorded for the same reason that it isn't recorded that the member obtained the floor before making the motion.The seconder isn't recorded because that's the rule. One can come up with plausible reasons for and against it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JustMe Posted January 12, 2012 at 07:58 PM Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 at 07:58 PM Also, the seconder doesn't have to be recognized by the Chair so in a large assembly it very well could be that the Secretary wouldn't know who called it out from the masses.And it's ridiculous for business to grind to a halt while the "who was that who seconded" game is played, and, as was mentioned, somethimes two or more people seconded, and so there's a further ridiculous tangent while it's decided who most wants to be named in the minutes, and sometimes even "enter it asThomas A Smith, not just Tom Smith, please", and argh it even extends to the whole assembly listening to Mr Kryzowski laboriously spell and re-spell his name for the secretary.It's a pet peeve of mine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Marcia Asdal Posted January 12, 2012 at 09:38 PM Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 at 09:38 PM I have found that the person who seconds the motion somehow gets "tagged" in later discussions and even blog postings as being a supporter of that motion, even though as mentioned above the seconder may in actuality not support the motion, but support the discussion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Harrison Posted January 12, 2012 at 10:06 PM Report Share Posted January 12, 2012 at 10:06 PM I have found that the person who seconds the motion somehow gets "tagged" in later discussions and even blog postings as being a supporter of that motion,That is a pretty common misconception of what the purpose of a second is. For those who have that misconception I would point them to RONR p. 36 ll. 9-15 which says otherwise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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