A motion is a proposal that the association’s membership take action or a position on a specific topic or issue. The following are six types of motions anyone who is a member can make at an association membership meeting:
- Main motions introduce a specific topic for consideration and cannot be made while another motion is before the group.
- Subsidiary motions amend or change how to handle a motion that’s already being considered. A subsidiary motion is voted on before the motion it affects is voted on.
- Privileged motions represent urgent or important matters that take precedence over regular or pending business.
- Incidental motions are responses to procedure and must be considered before a main motion.
- Reconsidered motions generally are brought up when there is no other pending business so that the membership can revisit an unresolved issue.
- A pending motion is one that has been stated by the chair but has not yet been brought to a vote.
