User:Econterms/WMDC meeting procedure
The chapter's bylaws state in Article 12 that our meeting procedures will follow Robert's Rules of Order except when that would be inconsistent with other bylaws or special rules of order the board adopts.
It is unrealistic for our board members to learn and apply all those rules so let's distill a few of the de facto relevant ones here:
(1) If the chairperson ("chair") anticipates that there will be unanimous consent to a motion, the chair may avoid the delay of taking a vote by saying: "If there is no objection, the motion will be adopted. [pause] Since there is no objection, the motion is adopted." In that context:
- If no member objects, the motion is adopted. But if any member objects, the motion is not adopted and cannot be agreed to without a formal vote. Raising an objection does not necessarily imply that the objector disagrees with the proposal itself. They may simply believe that it would be better to take a formal vote.[1]
In the US House of Representatives this phrasing is sometimes compressed to simply "Without objection, the motion is adopted" and the chair does not even really pause. Again, this is called a unanimous consent situation.