Can you recall being at your first Toastmasters meeting and observe the membership what appeared to be arguing about the silliest things?

What you saw was a 'practice session' of parliamentary procedure. This is just one more aspect of the Toastmasters educational program. Every meeting allows for a 8-10 minute 'New Business' session, when members practice tabling, amending and discussing motions under the guidance of the Chairperson and Parliamentarian, as assistant when called upon.

What is Parliamentary Procedure
(Summarized from documentation of National Association of Parliamentarians)

The term 'parliamentary procedure' or 'rules of order' refers to a set of written rules formally adopted by an assembly or an organization. Such rules relate to the orderly transaction of business in meetings and to the duties of the officers in that connection.

The object of 'rules of order' is to facilitate the smooth functioning of the assembly and to provide a firm basis for resolving questions of procedure that may arise.

Principles Underlying Parliamentary Law

Fundamentally, under the rules of parliamentary law, a deliberative body is a free agent-free to do what it wants to do with the greatest measure of protection to itself and of consideration for the rights of its members.

The rules of parliamentary law are constructed upon a careful balance of the rights:

• rights of the majority
• rights of the minority
  (especially a strong minority if greater than one third)
• rights of individual members
• rights of absentees
• rights of all these together

Deliberative Assemblies

The term refers to any kind of gathering (a Mass Meeting, a Local Assembly of an Organized Society, a Convention, or a Legislative Body or Board) to which parliamentary law is generally understood to apply. It has the following distinguishing characteristics:

• It is an independent or autonomous group of people meeting to determine, in full and free discussion, courses of action to be taken in the name of the entire group.
• The group is of such size (usually any number of persons more than about a dozen) that a degree of formality is necessary in its proceedings.
• Persons having the right to participate (the members) are ordinarily free to act within the assembly according to their own judgment.
• In any decision made, the opinion of each member present has equal weight as expressed by a vote, through which the voting member joins in assuming direct personal responsibility for the decision, should his or her vote be on the prevailing side.
• Failure to concur in a decision of the body does not constitute withdrawal from the body.
• If there are absentee members (as there usually are in any formally organized assembly) the members present at a regular or properly called meeting act for the entire membership, subject only to such limitations as may be established by the body's governing rules.

Procedure for Handling a Main Motion

(1) Obtaining and Assigning the Floor

• A member rises when no one else has the floor and addresses the chair: Mr./Madam Chairman or by other proper title.
• In a large assembly, the member gives name and identification
• The member remains standing and awaits recognition by the chair
• The chair recognizes the member by announcing his name or title, or in a small assembly, by nodding
  

(2) How the Motion is Brought Before the Assembly

• The member makes the motion: 'I move that (or 'to')...' and resumes his seat.
• Another member, without rising, seconds the motion: 'I second the motion' or 'I second it' or even 'seconded'
• The chair states the motion: 'It is moved and seconded that ... Are you ready for the question?

(3) Consideration of the Motion

(a) Members can debate the motion.

• Before speaking in debate, members obtain the floor as stated above.
• The maker of the motion has first right to the floor if he claims it properly.
• All remarks must be addressed to the chair.
• Debate must be confined to the merits of the motion.
• Debate can only be closed by order of the assembly (2/3 vote) or by the chair if no one seeks the floor for further debate.

  
  (b) The chair puts the motion to a vote.

• The chair asks: 'Are you ready for the question?' If no one rises to claim the floor, the chair proceeds to take the vote
• The chair says: 'The question is on the adoption of the motion that.. As many as are in favor, say 'Aye". (Pause for response.) Those opposed, say 'No'. (Pause for response.)

  (c) The chair announces the result of the vote.

• 'The ayes have it, the motion is adopted, ... (indicating the effect of the vote) or 'The noes have it, and the motion is lost'.

Types of Motions

Main Motion

• is the basis of all parliamentary procedure. It provides method of bringing business before the assembly for consideration and action. Can only be considered if no other business is pending.

Subsidiary Motions

• are those that may be applied to another motion for the purpose of modifying it, delaying action on it, or disposing of it.

Privileged Motions

• are such that, while having no relation to the pending question, are of such urgency, or importance that they are entitled to immediate consideration; relate to members, and to the organization, rather than to particular items of business.

Incidental Motions

• are those miscellaneous motions that cannot be placed in any of the above groups