May a designated speaker relinquish his/her speaking time to another?

[Guest Michael R. Golden]

Our Homeowners Association (which follows RONR) will be holding a general Town Hall Meeting on the question of whether to continue support of a specific Association-sponsored service-oriented committee. The Board has directed that time has been alloted for a total of 30 members, to be drawn by chance, to speak for 2 minutes each either for or against the continuance of the committee in question.

Question: Could, theoretically, 14 of the members chosen cede their 2 minute speaking time to 1 member, thus allowing him/her to speak for a total of 30 minutes?

[George Mervosh]

No, but RONR doesn't cover Town Hall Meetings or Board directed time limits.

"Rights in regard to debate are not transferable. Unless the organization has a special rule on the subject, a member cannot yield any unexpired portion of his time to another member, or reserve any portion of his time for a later time—that is, if a member yields the floor before speaking his full ten minutes, he is presumed to have waived his right to the remaining time.*" RONR (11th ed.), p. 388

[Gary Novosielski]

Our Homeowners Association (which follows RONR) will be holding a general Town Hall Meeting on the question of whether to continue support of a specific Association-sponsored service-oriented committee. The Board has directed that time has been alloted for a total of 30 members, to be drawn by chance, to speak for 2 minutes each either for or against the continuance of the committee in question.

Question: Could, theoretically, 14 of the members chosen cede their 2 minute speaking time to 1 member, thus allowing him/her to speak for a total of 30 minutes?

No. Time is not transferable.

But then again, if you follow RONR, you might well be holding a "general meeting", rather than a "general Town Hall Meeting" which is not a creature found in RONR. And if you follow RONR, then the board does not get to direct how much time will be allotted, nor to draw lots for the right to speak. If this is truly a membership meeting, any member may move to Limit or Extend the Limits of Debate allowing the members to decide their own rules for how long people may speak, and how long the total debate should take.

Members should be recognized according to the rules in RONR.

(Or maybe this HOA doesn't follow RONR as closely as you think.)

But note well the disclaimer below: