With drawing the second of a Motion

[Guest Virginia]

At our annual meeting of the property owners last year, there was a motion put on the floor that I seconded.  Our annual meeting is coming up again this weekend and after a year of thinking about it, I want to withdraw my second.  How do I go about doing that?  When the motion is read before the owners vote, do I call for a point of order and just state that I wish to withdraw my second?  

[Richard Brown]

You want to withdraw your second to a motion that was made LAST YEAR??   Was the motion that you seconded adopted?  If not, what is the status of it?   What happened to it last year?  

 

Normally, once a motion has been stated by the chair, neither the motion nor the second can be withdrawn without the consent of the assembly.  That is usually done by unanimous consent, but, if anyone objects, it can be allowed to be withdrawn by a majority vote.

 

However, I get the impression that since this motion was made last year, this is not a normal situation.  It would help if you would elaborate. 

[Edgar Guest]

Normally, once a motion has been stated by the chair, neither the motion nor the second can be withdrawn without the consent of the assembly.  That is usually done by unanimous consent, but, if anyone objects, it can be allowed to be withdrawn by a majority vote.

 

Are you sure that a second can be withdrawn?

 

As you know, all that a second means is that someone other than the maker of the motion thinks the motion should be considered (but not necessarily adopted). The fact that, a moment later (or a year later!) the seconder no longer thinks the motion should be considered seems immaterial.

[Guest Guest]

ok, thank you.  The way our association is structured, the 9 member board manages the affairs and a yearly meeting of all owners is held which is the time the owners can place motions on the floor but they are not voted on by the owners until the following year - not sure why the motions aren't adopted until the following year (may need to research that) but....

[Guest Guest]

As in past meetings where a motion had been made the prior year, the motion is read again and stated who made it and then it will be stated who made the second - at which time I would like to stand and ask the Chair for the floor and recind my second - or reconsider my second, which ever is appropriate.

[Josh Martin]

Are you sure that a second can be withdrawn?

As you know, all that a second means is that someone other than the maker of the motion thinks the motion should be considered (but not necessarily adopted). The fact that, a moment later (or a year later!) the seconder no longer thinks the motion should be considered seems immaterial.

A second can be withdrawn before the motion has been stated by the chair. This might happen if, for instance, the motion was changed prior to the chair stating the question. This doesn't happen often because the window of opportunity is normally very brief, but it's apparently an entire year in this assembly, for some bizarre reason.

ok, thank you. The way our association is structured, the 9 member board manages the affairs and a yearly meeting of all owners is held which is the time the owners can place motions on the floor but they are not voted on by the owners until the following year - not sure why the motions aren't adopted until the following year (may need to research that) but....

As in past meetings where a motion had been made the prior year, the motion is read again and stated who made it and then it will be stated who made the second - at which time I would like to stand and ask the Chair for the floor and recind my second - or reconsider my second, which ever is appropriate.

This is extremely unusual, but it appears that it would be proper to withdraw your second, but you need to do this before the chair states the question.

[Guest Guest]

Will see what happens tomorrow - thanks to all that gave your opinions/suggestions, etc.  

[Richard Brown]

Josh, since these meetings are a year apart, wouldn't the motion die between sessions unless they have a bylaw provision or  special rule of order that lets motions carry over for a year?    It seems that without such a rule, the motion would have to be made anew at the following year's meeting.

[Guest Guest]

Maybe that is what happens Mr. Brown....hard for me to remember from last year however, we do receive a copy of the minutes of the prior years meeting and the motion should be in there so I can reread how the motion was presented and see how I plan to proceed - thanks much!

[George Mervosh]

Josh, since these meetings are a year apart, wouldn't the motion die between sessions unless they have a bylaw provision or  special rule of order that lets motions carry over for a year?    It seems that without such a rule, the motion would have to be made anew at the following year's meeting.

 

It appears as though they're giving notice of motions, rather than making them.  I doubt there is anything to withdraw.

[Josh Martin]

Josh, since these meetings are a year apart, wouldn't the motion die between sessions unless they have a bylaw provision or special rule of order that lets motions carry over for a year? It seems that without such a rule, the motion would have to be made anew at the following year's meeting.

Yes, of course. My previous reply acts under the idea that what the OP describes is, in fact, an accurate description based upon a number of special rules. I concur that it's quite possible that they are simply doing everything very wrong, and that your theory or Mr. Mervosh's is closer to the truth. In either case, the member will not need to withdraw his second (and it may have been premature to second the motion in the first place) since the motion has either not yet been made or will need to be made anew.

[Shmuel Gerber]

Yes, of course. My previous reply acts under the idea that what the OP describes is, in fact, an accurate description based upon a number of special rules. I concur that it's quite possible that they are simply doing everything very wrong, and that your theory or Mr. Mervosh's is closer to the truth. In either case, the member will not need to withdraw his second (and it may have been premature to second the motion in the first place) since the motion has either not yet been made or will need to be made anew.

 

Well, even if we do suppose that there is some special rule of order providing that a motion needs to be made and seconded at one annual meeting, and is then stated by the chair at the next meeting, I assume that it would be too late to withdraw either the motion or the second at the next meeting except by unanimous consent, since at that point it would be too late for anyone else to make or second the motion for consideration at the meeting.