Restricting Debate

[Guest Anne]

My club’s president restricted our debate on several amendment changes There were still people with concerns and they were not allowed to speak. Would cutting off the debate void the results of the vote since my rights of membership were ignored? Or, are we stuck?

[Rob Elsman]

It's all water under the bridge.  Let it go.

[Josh Martin]

On 10/9/2021 at 2:16 PM, Guest Anne said:

My club’s president restricted our debate on several amendment changes There were still people with concerns and they were not allowed to speak. Would cutting off the debate void the results of the vote since my rights of membership were ignored? Or, are we stuck?

A Point of Order regarding this matter would have had to be raised at the time.

[Alicia Percell, PRP]

Unless your organization has adopted rules/bylaws giving the president powers to control the debate timing, no, the president does not have unilateral power to cut off debate while others are still seeking recognition to continue debating.  Instead the assembly decides how long to debate.  If 2/3 of the assembly decides it is time to stop talking and get to a vote, they can do so by adopting a motion for the previous question with a 2/3 vote.  See RONR, 12th ed., 16:1 and following.  That is the point of order which should be raised the next time you encounter this situation. 

I agree with the above posters that the point of order should have been raised at the time, and it's too late to do that now.  For more info on what types of points of order must be raised immediately versus which ones can be raised later, see RONR, 12th ed., 23:5 and following.

[Guest Anne]

I agree with the comments made. Thanks for the input.