How MuniMins Processes Motions and Votes
What MuniMins Looks For
MuniMins identifies motions by listening for specific language patterns:
Motion preamble: "I'd like to make a motion..." or "Can we get a motion?" These are preliminaries, not the motion itself.
The actual motion: "Motion to approve the minutes" or "Motion to deny the variance." This is what gets recorded.
Second: "I second" or "Second." Identifies who supported the motion.
Vote call: "All in favor?" followed by "Aye" or "No" responses, a voice vote, or a roll call vote.
How Votes Are Recorded
Each motion shows the mover, the seconder, the vote and the outcome. The vote is written as Yes-No-Abstain.
Voice vote: Jane Smith: Motion to approve the minutes; Second: John Doe; Vote: 5-0-0 — PASSED
Roll call vote: When the chair declares a roll call vote, MuniMins records each member's vote and tags the motion with a blue Roll Call label: Vote: 3-1-1 (Smith-Yes, Johnson-No, Williams-Yes, Brown-Yes, Davis-Abstain) — PASSED
Individual votes are recorded only for declared roll call votes; every other vote shows the tally. You can tag or untag a motion as a roll call in its Edit dialog.
How motions look in your exported minutes — the layout, how names appear, and words like "carried" or "adopted" — is set by your export template. See Using Templates to Export Minutes.
Vote Counts
MuniMins uses the Voting members on your board roster to work out who can vote, so keep each board's voting status current. See Step 2: Add Members to the Board.
If the chair announces a tally ("the motion passes four to nothing"), MuniMins records it exactly as stated. For a voice vote with no opposition and no abstentions, every Voting member present is counted as voting yes.
Edge Cases
Absent members: Members who weren't present are listed as absent in attendance and aren't counted in votes.
Alternates and non-voting members: Non-voting members are never counted in a vote. A present alternate is counted only when they were seated as a voting member for that meeting.
Abstentions and recusals: MuniMins records an abstention only when a member says they abstain or recuse themselves. If the minutes get it wrong, click Edit on the motion and correct the vote (for example, 4-0-1) and, for a roll call, the individual votes.
Amended motions: When an amendment is proposed, MuniMins records the vote on the amendment first and then the vote on the main motion, as two separate motions.
Double-Checking Motions
Always review the motions in your generated minutes. Check:
- Are all motions captured?
- Is the motion language accurate?
- Are the mover and seconder correct? Click a highlighted name to change it.
- Does each vote add up to the number of Voting members present?
- For roll call votes, is each member's vote correct?
Click Edit on a motion to change its text, vote, outcome or individual votes, then click Confirm once it's right. See Reviewing and Confirming Motions.