Can a city council member abstain from voting on a motion?

Short answer

Yes, under Robert's Rules a member can abstain, which means choosing not to vote. No member can be forced to vote (RONR §45). For a city council, though, state law or your city charter may limit when a member may abstain, so check those first.

What to do

1. Check your own rules first. Look at your state law, city charter, and council rules of procedure. Many public bodies have their own rules on abstaining and conflicts of interest.
2. If nothing there says otherwise, let the member abstain. Robert's Rules says a member has a duty to vote when they have an opinion, but the member cannot be made to vote (RONR §45).
3. Know when a member should abstain. If a member has a direct personal or money interest in a motion that other members don't share, Robert's Rules says they should not vote on it (RONR §45). An example is a contract with the member's own business.
4. Count the vote correctly. In most cases the result is based on votes cast. That means only yes and no votes count. Abstentions are simply left out (RONR §44).
5. Watch for a different vote rule. If your rules require a majority of members present or of the whole council, an abstention has the same effect as a no vote (RONR §44).
6. Record it if needed. On a roll call vote (each member's name is called and their vote is recorded), a member may answer "present" or "abstain." The clerk notes that in the minutes (RONR §45).

What the chair says

For a voice vote, the chair asks only for yes and no votes. The chair normally does not ask for abstentions (RONR §4):

The question is on the motion to approve the contract. Those in favor, say "aye." Those opposed, say "no."

The ayes have it, and the motion is adopted.

For a roll call vote:

The clerk will call the roll. Members will answer "yes," "no," or "present."

Announcing the result:

There are 4 votes in favor, 2 opposed, and 1 member answering present. The motion is adopted.

Common mistakes

• Counting abstentions as yes or no votes. Under the usual majority rule, an abstention is not a vote at all (RONR §44). Unless your rules say otherwise, don't add it to either side.
• Asking for abstentions to make them count. Calling for abstentions doesn't change the math. It can confuse people into thinking abstentions matter to the result.
• Thinking an abstaining member leaves the quorum. A quorum is the minimum number of members who must be present to do business. A member who is in the room but abstains still counts toward the quorum.

When your own rules say otherwise

Robert's Rules is the fallback. Higher rules win when they conflict with it (RONR §2). For a city council, that often matters a lot. Some state laws require council members to vote unless they have a legal conflict of interest. Some charters say a silent or abstaining member is counted as voting yes. Others require a set number of yes votes, such as a majority of the full council, no matter how many abstain. Look in your state's ethics or conflict-of-interest law, your city charter, and the council's adopted rules of procedure. Your city attorney can tell you how they apply to a specific vote. This page is general information, not legal advice.