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308 Since every member will have an opportunity to speak, the debate may be ended by a majority vote. 8. TO Postpone to a Certain Time or Day. Comment: This motion allows the board to defer consideration to a specified time or day and is appropriate when more information is needed or the deliberations are likely to be lengthy. 9. To Refer to Committee. Sixty (60) days after a motion has been referred to committee, the introducer may compel consideration of the measure by the entire board, regardless of whether the committee has reported the matter back to the board. Comment: This motion is like the motion in RRO except that the introducer's right to compel consideration by the full board after a specified time prevents usin9 the motion to defeat a proposal by referring it to a committee that intends to take no action. If the board does not use committees, this rule is unnecessary. 10. TO Amend. An amendment to a motion must be 9ermane to the subject of the motion, but it may not achieve the opposite effect of the motion. There may be an amendment to the motion and an amendment to an amendment, but no further amendments. Any amendment to a proposed ordinance shall be reduced to writin9. comment: This motion is identical to the motion in RRO except for the additional requirement for written amendments to proposed ordinances. 11. TO Revive Consideration. The motion is in order at any time within one hundred (100) days of a vote deferring consideration. A substantive motion on which consideration has been deferred expires one hundred (100) days after the deferral, unless a motion to revive consideration is adopted. comment: This motion replaces the motion to take up from the table in RRO and was renamed to avoid confusion. It may be debated and amended; the motion in RRO may not. If the motion to revive consideration is not successful within one hundred (100) days of the original deferral, the substantive motion expires. The subject matter of the motion may be brought forward again by a new motion. 12. TO Reconsider. The motion must be made at the same meeting where the original vote was taken, and by a member who voted with the prevailing side. The motion cannot interrupt deliberation on a pending matter but is in order any time before adjournment. comment: Accordin9 to PRO, the motion may be made at the same meetin9 or on the next legal day and may interrupt deliberation on another matter. The rule does not allow reconsideration of a vote once the meetin9 adjourns. A member wishin9 to reverse an action taken at a previous meetin9 may make a motion or introduce a new ordinance havin9 the opposite effect. 13. TO Prevent Reconsideration for Six (6) Months. The motion shall be in order only immediately following the defeat of a substantive motion and at no other time. The motion requires a vote equal to a quorum and is valid for six (6) months or until the next regular election of county commissioners, whichever occurs first. Comment: This clincher motion prevents the same motion from bein9 continually introduced when the subject has been thoroughly considered. Because this motion curtails a member's right to bring a matter before the board, a vote equal to a quorum is required. As with every other motion, a clincher may be dissolved by a motion to suspend the rules. Six (6) months is merely a su99ested time; the board may shorten or lengthen this as it sees fit. The motion is not effective beyond the next regular election, in order to 9ive the new board a clean slate. Rule 20. Renewal of Motion. A defeated motion may not be renewed at the same meeting. Rule 21. Withdrawal of Motion. A motion may be withdrawn by the introd, ucer any time before the chair puts the motion to a vote. comment: RRO provides that once a motion has been stated by the chair for debate, it cannot be withdrawn without the assembly's consent~-a procedure unnecessary for a small board. Rule 22. Duty to Vote. It is the duty of each member to vote unless excused by' a majority vote according to law. The board may excuse members from voting on matters involving their own financial interest or official conduct. A member wishing to be excused from voting shall so inform the chair, who shall take a vote of the remaining members. A member who fails to vote, not having been excused, shall be recorded as voting in the affirmative. comment: G.S. 153A-44 provides that board members have a duty to vote, but does not state the remedy for failure to do so. Many boards record all members as voting yes on any matter put to a vote unless the members audibly vote no. A few boards reverse the presumption and record members as votin9 no unless they audibly vote yes. Rule 23. Prohibition of Secret Voting. No vote may be taken by secret ballot. If the board decides to vote by written ballot, each member shall sign his or her ballot and the minutes shall record the vote of each member. These ballots shall be retained and made available for public inspection until the minutes of that meeting have been approved, when they may be destroyed.