Guest Lefty Posted June 15, 2019 at 12:21 AM Report Share Posted June 15, 2019 at 12:21 AM Can a member of a body urge others to vote against a motion. At a recent meeting I stated that I was going to vote against a motion and urged the other member to also do so. I was told that is not permitted under Roberts rules. I was also told I had to direct my comments to the presiding officer and not the body as a whole. Is that correct? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jstackpo Posted June 15, 2019 at 12:34 AM Report Share Posted June 15, 2019 at 12:34 AM What you were told about RONR prohibiting you from urging others to vote "No" is utter drivel. Whenever someone makes unlikely claims about what is in RONR, be SURE to ask them to show you the rule, page and line number. What you were also told, "direct your remarks to the presiding officer", is indeed in the book - page 392, line 27 (See -- page and line number!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atul Kapur Posted June 15, 2019 at 12:38 AM Report Share Posted June 15, 2019 at 12:38 AM (edited) The whole purpose of debate is to explain your position and try to convince others to agree with you. You should not speak directly to other members but direct your remarks to the chair. However, you are perfectly free to say, "Chair, I will be voting against this motion and I urge everyone else to also vote against it for the following reasons..." Edited June 15, 2019 at 12:39 AM by Atul Kapur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hieu H. Huynh Posted June 15, 2019 at 12:40 AM Report Share Posted June 15, 2019 at 12:40 AM Note that members can address each other through the chair (see RONR 11th ed., p. 23, ll. 31-32). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Elsman Posted June 15, 2019 at 01:12 AM Report Share Posted June 15, 2019 at 01:12 AM "Mr. President, I urge my colleagues to vote against the motion" is a very common and perfectly proper way to end a speech. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Novosielski Posted June 15, 2019 at 01:45 PM Report Share Posted June 15, 2019 at 01:45 PM 13 hours ago, Guest Lefty said: Can a member of a body urge others to vote against a motion. At a recent meeting I stated that I was going to vote against a motion and urged the other member to also do so. I was told that is not permitted under Roberts rules. I was also told I had to direct my comments to the presiding officer and not the body as a whole. Is that correct? It is correct that all remarks must be directed toward the chair, and references to others should be in the third person, preferably using titles and not names. But the idea that you can't urge other members to join you in opposition to (or support of) a motion is utter nonsense. ".... For these reasons, I oppose this motion, and I strongly urge my colleagues to do the same." No problem whatsoever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshua Katz Posted June 15, 2019 at 02:36 PM Report Share Posted June 15, 2019 at 02:36 PM 14 hours ago, Guest Lefty said: I was told that is not permitted under Roberts rules. Did you ask the person doing the telling what page and line it appears on? That's a good place to start in debunking nonsense. Another question to ask that person is - just what does he think debate is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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