parliamentary terms

Abstain

To publicly refrain from voting

Adjourn

A privileged motion to close

Adjourn sine die

To adjourn a meeting without setting a date

Agenda

A list plan outline of things to be done matters to be acted or voted upon as in organized meetings

Assembly

A group of people gathered together usually for a particular purpose

Aye

A positive affirmation vote

Ballot

A method of secret voting by means of printed or written ballots or by means of voting machines

Bylaws

Specific rules that an organization adopts for itself that are extensions of the group’s constitution

Con

To be on the negative side of an issue

Convention

A group of delegates chosen to serve a body in a series of meetings for a single purpose

Decorum

A member of a group who represents that group as a representative or voting entity for that group

Deliberative assembly

An organization composed of members who use parliamentary procedures to make decisions

Dilatory

Tending to cause delay

Executive board

The body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization

Germane

A debate that is closely or significantly related to the motion on the floor at the time

Incidental motion

Motions that are related to the business of the group or to past or future actions of the group

Mass meeting

A meeting that is held for a special reason by a group of people having a common interest

Null or void

No longer valid or enforceable

Order of business

The adopted scheduled agenda that is presented to a group for their consideration

Parliamentarian

Any person appointed or elected whose purpose is to advise the group on items dealing with the proper running of a meeting that uses parliamentary law as its rule base

Plurality vote

A type of vote that is used only when dealing with an election where there are multiple candidates and one candidate does not receive majority, but has more votes than the other candidate

Precedence

The rules of rank of the classes of motion and the priority of that order that governs the order in which motions are preposed, considered, and disposed of

Presiding officer

The officer or person conducting a meeting

Privileged motions

Motions that relate to special matters of overarching or immediate importance and are allowed to interrupt items of business or discussion without debate

Quorum

The minimum number of members required to be present at a meeting to officially conduct business

Special committees

Comities that are appointed for a particular purpose and that are dissolved once the committee has presented its final report with or without recommendations and the group has officially accepted or rejected those recommendations

Standing committee

Permanent committees that should be listed in the laws of the group or entity, along with the length of committees members terms

Subsidiary motions

Motions offered to assist a group with the process of disposing of main motions

Unanimous general concent

The adoption of a motion without any dissent, negative comment, or vote, usually by voice request