Rules of order

Meetings need rules. 

In 1863, US army officer Henry Martyn Robert was leading a meeting of church parishioners in San Francisco. The meeting quickly fell into disarray as everyone attempted to speak at once, the problem compounded, he recalled, by the diverse backgrounds and expectations of the members in this city of immigrants. To bring some order to his meetings, Robert compiled a set of rules, based loosely on parliamentary procedure of the US Congress. The book became known as Robert's Rules, and in North America, it remains the standard guide for anyone trying to run a meeting, from town councils to corporations to non-profits associations.

Robert's key principles were:

• Topics for discussion are agreed upon beforehand
• Speakers may only discuss the topic at hand
• Members may only speak in turn and when called upon 
• Decisions are reached by vote, following discussion

Robert's Rules of Order

RobertsRules.com

The website of the descendants of Major Robert himself. At this site you can purchase canonical editions of the the original rules (there are various derivatives, copies and alternatives that do not have the family's blessing). It also has a very useful FAQ that dispels common myths about the rules.

Robert's Rules in action

You can watch Robert's Rules in action in during the 2014 meeting of the Community Television of Santa Cruz County Board of Directors Meeting.

Like most meetings, the subject is only of interest to it's members (and sometimes not even them) so you may find this video excrutiatingly boring. But if you've never been in a chaired meeting before, it is worth watching to appreciate the formality of the proceedings, and how scrupulously members stick to them.

Robert's Rules tutorial

robertsrules.org

This site (not to be confused with robertsrules.com, above) has tutorials and exercises to familiarize you with Robert's Rules.

Laws and bylaws

Note that where an organization's bylaws set out rules of procedure, these take precedence over Robert's Rules. 

The regulator where you registered your organization (normally the province) will also have laws concerning your meetings. These vary across jurisdictions. As an example, here is what the Ontario Not-for-Profit Corporations Act has to say:  

• Whoever is calling the meeting (usually the chair) must give send out a written notice beforehand, with wording of resolutions
• Financial statements to be presented must be sent to directors at least 5 business days before an annual meeting
• Written notice of a meeting must be sent out 10 days in advance 
• Quorum is 50% of members +1, unless stated otherwise in bylaws
• Annual General Meetings's are to be held every 15 months and within 6 months of end of fiscal year
• In person meetings must be held in Ontario

The agenda

Meetings run under Robert's Rules start with an agenda, an itemized list of activities to be discussed or otherwise carried out during the meeting. The agenda will usually drawn up by the organization's chairperson and secretary, with input from staff and other board members [IS THIS RIGHT? - CF]. It will include certain formalities and standard actions, such as roll call and voting on the agenda itself, as well as reports that must be made to the board by staff or committee members, topics that need to be discussed and actions to be taken. Each item will be allotted a fixed time for discussion so that - in theory - the meeting does not go on too long.

A typical agenda follows this scheme:

1. Call to order
2. Roll call
3. Adopting the agenda (members will vote on whether to follow the agenda as written or amend it.)
4. Approving the minutes of the previous meeting
5. Accepting staff and committee reports
6. Old business (items carried over from the last meeting)
7. New business (items being introduced at that meeting, including last-minute additions)
8. Announcements
9. Adjournment (formally close the meeting)

The proposed agenda should be sent to members by the secretary at least four days before a meeting so they have time to prepare. If members wish to make amendments, they should file them with the secretary at least two days before the meeting. [I'VE SEEN THOSE TIMES CITED, BUT NOT SURE IF THEY ARE IN RR'S, WRITTEN INTO BYLAWS OR WHERE THEY COME FROM - CF]

"The chair recognizes the French Revolution."

The chair

The meeting chair leads the discussion, keeps order and ensures the rules are followed. In a board meeting, the chair will usually be the board or committee chairperson, or vice chair. It might also be someone outside the organization hired for the purpose. A chair is expected to lead the discussion with impartiality, and in larger meetings such as an AGM, will usually only vote in the case of a tie. 

Here's a professional chair, Christopher Mines, explaining the basics of Robert's Rules at the opening of the 2026 Annual General Meeting of the NCRA (Item #5 in the example agenda, above) . As you listen, you can follow along with the description of motions, points and other actions below.

Robert's Rules

Christopher Mines - NCRA AGM

The motion

Every decision or action taken by a board meeting begins as a proposal, called a "motion." During a meeting, a proposal is moved, seconded, discussed and voted on.

Points and other actions

Besides addressing a motion, speakers can take other actions. Points are not discussed or voted on, but are ruled on immediately by the chair. 

What to Say When for Chairs

Susan Leahy

An excellent collection of scripts of board meeting discussions, with commentary and advice. The scripts are intended to suggest language for Chairs to moderate discussions, but are equally useful for anyone who wants to know the proper language to raise a motion, move and amendment or challenge the chair. Recommended reading for anyone going cold into a board, committee or annual general meeting.

The vote

ADD SOMETHING FROM HANDBOOK

ROLL CALL VOTES