Motion that has been seconded tabled and not voted on

[Guest crocker]

If a motion has been made and seconded, does it have to immediately be voted on or can someone make a motion to table the subject of the initial motion?

[Josh Martin]

If a motion has been made and seconded, does it have to immediately be voted on or can someone make a motion to table the subject of the initial motion?

A motion does not need to be immediately voted on. It can be tabled, however, this motion is frequently misused, and I suspect you may be thinking of another motion. The motion to Lay on the Table is used to temporarily set aside a motion so something more urgent may be taken up immediately. If your intent is simply to delay action on the motion until a later time, the proper motion is to Postpone to a Certain Time. If your intent is to try to kill the motion without a direct vote, you want the motion to Postpone Indefinitely. See FAQ #12 and FAQ #13 for more information.

[Gary Novosielski]

If a motion has been made and seconded, does it have to immediately be voted on or can someone make a motion to table the subject of the initial motion?

The motion to Lay on the Table is not in order if its intent is to kill or postpone a motion. It has a purpose, as Mr. Martin described, but that's not it.

But typically, the first thing that happens after a motion is made and seconded is that the chair states the motion and asks if there is any debate or discussion of it. It can be postponed, referred to a committee, amended, re-amended, re-re-amended, and then debated some more.

In fact, voting on it immediately might be one of the rarest things that would happen. And yes, it could be Tabled, but only if the intent is to deal with it properly once the urgent business that caused it to be tabled has been disposed of.