Page:Robert's Parliamentary Practice.djvu/121

Rh by show of hands, the assembly has a right to order the vote taken by any method it sees fit. The motion prescribing the method may be amended but it cannot be debated. The usual methods are described under Voting.

Division of the Assembly. When a vote has been taken viva voce or by show of hands, any member can compel it to be taken again by a rising vote, by saying, "I call for a division," or by simply calling out "Division." The call must be made immediately after the vote is taken and before another question is stated by the chair. It does not require a second nor can any subsidiary motion be applied to it. As soon as a division is called for, the vote is again taken, this time by rising, the affirmative rising first. If it is not easy to decide which side has it, the chair counts the vote, or has the count made by the secretary or tellers. By a majority vote the assembly may order a count by tellers.

The calling for a division does not imply any doubt as to the correctness of the chair's announcement of the vote, but merely shows that the member making the call doubts that the vote is the correct expression of the opinion of the assembly which may be due to the neglect of members to vote. The chair may have the vote taken by rising whenever necessary to enable him to declare the result correctly. He saves time