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A quorum call is used to ensure that the minimum number of members are present before a vote can be passed. It can also be used as a stalling tactic or to conduct private business. Legislators assume the quorum is present unless challenged. Absenteeism rates can be alarming.
A quorum call is a parliamentary procedure designed to ensure that members of a legislative body are present before a vote is passed. A quorum is defined as the minimum number of people that must be present for a transaction or law to be considered legal. In many legislatures, the quorum must be a majority: if less than 51% of the legislature is present, the legislature cannot conduct business. In a large legislature or group, it can be difficult to determine if there is a quorum. Any legislator can request a quorum call to find out how many people are actually present.
Many citizens are surprised to learn that their elected officials do not spend much time on the floor of the legislature and that often the quorum is not actually present during the day’s business. Records of daily attendance are available for most governments, along with how legislators voted. If you’re curious about how hard your elected official works, search these records to see how often attendance and votes were recorded. Absenteeism rates for legislative bodies are often alarming, which can be a problem when passing big votes.
In addition to establishing quorum status, a quorum call can also be used as a stalling tactic. A legislator may call a quorum meeting, for example, if he knows that an absent colleague intends to introduce a change to the bill in the floor. The convening of the quorum gives the other legislator time to take the floor and speak. The quorum call interval can also be used to conduct private business, negotiate with other members of the legislature in the courtroom, or resolve a problem. When a major bill is on the line, the quorum convening is used to call the majority to the floor in order to ensure that the bill passes.
By custom, most legislators assume that the quorum is present unless challenged by a legislator. If a quorum call determines that a quorum is not present, the situation must be corrected. If the legislators are found to be working in their offices around the building, the quorum can be restored and the legislator can continue with his work. If enough officials cannot be rounded up, the legislature may be forced to adjourn for the day.
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