Robert’s Rules of Order “Top Ten” Cheat Sheet and Quick Reference Guide to Senate Rules and Procedures - Top Ten

Oct 14, 2026

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Robert’s Rules of Order (RRO) “Top Ten” cheat sheet provides a concise quick-reference guide for Senate rules and parliamentary procedure. It summarizes key actions and motions—such as moving, amending, postponing, withdrawing, calling the question, points of order and information, appeal, reconsideration, and rescinding—along with core decision facts: whether members can interrupt, whether seconds are required, debate and amendability, and the vote thresholds. Footnotes clarify special postponement and reconsideration limits, plus basic speaking-right rules for members.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPresentations

FormatPDF

Pages5

Reading Time2 min

AccessFree to download

Action/Motion Reference

Core Motions and Requirements

Debate, Amendments, and Voting Thresholds

Speaking Rights and Footnote Clarifications

SENATE Robert’s Rules of Order “Top Ten” Cheat Sheet and Quick Reference Guide to Senate Rules and Procedures Robert’s Rules of Order (RRO)–Top 10 Cheat Sheet | Action/Motion | Purpose | Can member interrupt speaker? | Does it require a
seconder? | Can it be debated? | Can it beamended? | Votes required? | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Move a motion | To introduce an item requiring approval. | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Majority (50%+1)
(unless bylaw change = 2/3 majority of members present) | | Amend a motion | When a member wants to propose an amendment to an item before it goes to a vote. NB: the amendment cannot be such that its intent or approval would be to reject or nullify the main motion. | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Majority (50%+1)
(unless it is a “friendly”amendment = general consent, where Chair declares amendment if there is no objection) | | Postpone1 consideration of a matter to a set time [commonly referred to as“deferred”]
[often erroneously referred to as a “motion to table”2] | Delays a vote, normally based on a request for additional information, or while awaiting conclusion of another matter, or until after a certain event. | No | Yes | Yes, but limited to the question to postpone; should not include debate on the main question. | Yes, but only
as relates to
the time for when the
main motion will comeback. | Majority (50%+1) | | Request to withdraw a motion | When the mover wants to withdraw consideration of a motion. | Yes | No (unless it must be voted onsee last column) | No | No | No vote – treated as general consent, where, if no one objects, the Chair declares the motion withdrawn
Majority (50%+1) -If there isan objection, the Chair can put the request to withdraw the motion to a vote. | | Action/Motion | Purpose | Can member interrupt speaker? | Does it require a
seconder? | Can it be debated? | Can it beamended? | Votes required? | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | End debate on the motion
[formally known as “to move the previous question”; commonly referred to as “calling the question”] | When it is felt that further debate will not be fruitful and that the main motion should be voted on. | No | Yes | No | No | 2/3 | | Point of order | To enforce the rules or question the correct procedure | Yes – must be made immediately at the time the rules violation
occurs | No | No | No | Chair decision | | Appeal | | Yes – move to appeal isnot in order
unless made
immediately
following the decision of the chair. | Yes | Yes, unless it relates to indecorum or rules of speaking; priority of business; or if made while the immediately pending question is non-debatable. | No | Majority (50%+1) | | Point of Information | When a member is seeking clarification on the facts of the matter at hand | Yes | No | No | No | No vote | | Reconsider3 | To reconsider the vote on a previously approved or defeated motion | No | Yes | Yes, provided the motion to be reconsidered is debatable | No | Majority (50%+1) | | Rescind | To rescind a motion previously adopted | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Majority (50%+1), if notice given
2/3 or majority vote of entire membership, if no notice
2/3 and notice for bylaws | 1A motion to postpone indefinitely avoids a direct vote on an item and ends consideration of the item for the full session (academic year) . It is an indirect rejection of the main motion and should be use rarely as members should vote on the main motion to express their support or rejection. However, it “is useful in disposing of a badly chosen main motion that cannot be either adopted or expressly rejected without possibly undesirable consequences.”(RRO, p. 126) . It is not amendable, but it is debatable and requires a simple majority vote. 2A motion to postpone to a definite time or “to table” is only to be used “to lay the pending question aside temporarily when something else of immediate urgency has arisen or when something else needs to be

FAQs

What vote threshold is required to move a motion or pass most ordinary actions?

A majority is required (50%+1). Some bylaws or special cases specify a higher threshold, such as 2/3 majority of members present for bylaw changes.

When does a member use the “previous question” (calling the question)?

It is used when further debate will not be fruitful and the main motion should be voted on. It cannot be debated and uses a 2/3 vote requirement.

What limits apply to postponing or reconsidering actions under RRO?

Postponement to a set time delays voting while limiting debate to the postponement question only, and it can be mischaracterized as a “motion to table.” Reconsideration must be made by a member on the prevailing side, during the same meeting, and is barred in several specific situations listed in the guide.

Oct 14, 2026

Upload by Ezra