ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER NEWLY REVISED

10TH EDITION

§1. THE DELIBERATIVE ASSEMBLY

Types of Deliberative Assembly

THE CONVENTION. A convention is an assembly of delegates (other than a permanently established public lawmaking body) chosen, normally for one session only, as representatives of constituent units or subdivisions of a much larger body of people in whose name the convention sits and acts.

The most common type of convention is that of an organized state or national society-held, for example, annually or biennially-in which the delegates are selected by, and from among the members of, each local branch. A convention is sometimes also called for the purpose of forming an association or federation; or, like a mass meeting, it may be convened to draw interested parties or representatives of interested organizations together in acting upon a common problem. The ordinary convention seldom lasts longer than a week. In principle, however, there is no limit on the length of the convention session. A constitutional convention, for example - convoked to draft a proposed new state constitution-may continue for weeks or months.

The voting membership of a convention consists of persons who hold proper credentials as delegates or as persons in some other way entitled to such membership, which must be certified and reported to the convention by its Credentials Committee. Whenever the term "majority of the entire membership" is used in this book, it means, in the case of a convention of delegates, a majority of the total number of convention members entitled to vote, as set forth in the official roll of voting members of the convention (pp. 390-91, 598-99).

The conclusion of the convention session normally dissolves the assembly. In the case of a state or national society, when another convention convenes a year or two later, it is a new assembly.

Conventions are particularly treated in 58, 59, and 60.

§58. CONVENTIONS OF DELEGATES

As commonly understood in parliamentary law and as used in this book, the word convention refers to an assembly of delegates (other than a permanently constituted public lawmaking body), who are usually chosen specially for each session as representatives of the constituent units or subdivisions within a larger group of people, to sit as a single deliberative body acting in the name of the entire group. The most common type of convention is that of an established state or national society - in which the delegates are selected by, and from among, the members of each local unit. Other terms by which such a convention may be described in some organizations include congress, conference, convocation, general assembly, house of delegates, and house of representatives.

The term house of delegates, or house of representatives, is often applied particularly in the case of learned or professional associations, to distinguish the voting body of delegates from large numbers of other members of the constituent units, who come to the convention to attend seminars, workshops, educational or social activities, or the like. In some societies, also, house of delegates or house of representatives may describe a body of delegates who, instead of being elected only for a convention session, are elected for a fixed term during which they hold sessions from time to time as the bylaws may prescribe.

Conventions vary in size, duration, and complexity of operation. A relatively small state society may hold a one-day convention consisting of two or three meetings at which all delegates are present. A week's convention of a national scientific or educational association, on the other hand, may be divided into a number of specialized sections meeting separately at the same time, with only a few meetings when the entire body of delegates gathers in one hall.

In addition, a convention is sometimes called for the purpose of forming an association or federation; or (like a mass meeting, 53) it may be convened to draw interested parties or representatives of interested organizations together in acting upon a particular problem.

This chapter is limited to the features common to most conventions and relates principally to the convention of an established society. (For variations of procedure applying to other types of conventions, see 60.)