What action should the chair take when a member calls for a Division when it is obvious which side has a majority?

• A. Rule it out of order because it is a dilatory motion.
• B. Grant the Division to verify the vote.
• C. Postpone the motion until next meeting.
• D. Suspend the meeting briefly to count ballots.

Answer: (A)

Division is used to obtain a counted vote when the result of a voice vote is uncertain. If the chair can tell by the voices or visible signs which side has the majority, there’s no real doubt to verify. Entertaining a Division in that situation would simply delay action and could be seen as a tactic to stall, so the proper approach is to rule it out of order and declare the result as obvious.

In this context, the chair’s job is to keep the meeting moving efficiently. A Division should be requested only when the outcome isn’t clear, so that a formal count can establish the exact numbers. When the majority is evident, counting would waste time without changing the decision.