Academy/Motions & Parliamentary Procedure
Substitute motions
Know what a substitute motion actually replaces, and who gets to decide.
A substitute motion swaps out the entire text of the motion under discussion for new wording on the same subject, rather than changing a word or a phrase. Like any amendment, it does not take effect because the mover likes it better. The board must debate it and vote on it before it replaces anything.
Replacing the whole motion, not one word in it
Say a director moves to patch the clubhouse roof. Another director does not want a word changed, she wants a different plan entirely: "I move to substitute: hire a contractor for a full roof replacement." That is a substitute motion. It is still a kind of amendment, but instead of trimming or adding to the pending wording, it offers a whole new motion to stand in its place.
Compare that to a smaller primary amendment, which might only change "patch" to "repair." A substitute is the largest move available on the amendment ladder: it keeps the general subject (the roof) but proposes to replace everything the board is currently considering about it.
It still needs a vote, not just agreement
The most common mistake here is treating a substitute like a suggestion the room can wave through. It cannot. The same rule that governs a "friendly" change to a motion applies here too.
"Any amendment, 'friendly' or otherwise, must be adopted by the full body, either by a vote or by unanimous consent."
Source: Robert's Rules of Order, Official FAQ, The Robert's Rules Association
A substitute motion is squarely inside that "or otherwise." The board debates whether the new wording is a better fit than the original, then votes on whether to swap it in. The original mover cannot approve it alone, and neither can the member who proposed it.
What decides if it passes
The exact vote a substitute needs, and whether it can be offered at all at a given point in the meeting, is set by your association's adopted parliamentary authority and, above that, by your bylaws. Check both before you rely on it. Robert's Rules fills gaps in your governing documents; it never overrides them.
One thing that does hold generally: once a substitute is on the floor, it can be amended too, the same way any pending motion can. A director who wants to change one detail of the substitute offers a secondary amendment to it before the board votes on whether to adopt it in place of the original.
Check yourself
Answer before you read the explanation, recalling it is what makes it stick.
A director moves to patch a leaking roof. Another director says, "I move to substitute: hire a contractor for a full replacement." What happens next?
The original mover says, "I'll accept the substitute, we don't need a vote." Is that correct?
A substitute motion is on the floor. A director wants to change one word in it before the board votes. What can she do?
Sources
- Robert's Rules of Order, Official FAQ, The Robert's Rules Association
- RONR 12th ed. Quick Reference Guide, The Robert's Rules Association, for the full mechanics of amendments
Motions & Parliamentary Procedure