Magic Gavel® Applications
Welcome to the Magic Gavel®
Magic Gavel® is like having an expert in your pocket. It is self-contained; no Internet connection is required. Magic Gavel® is always ready to provide motion rules and answers to parliamentary questions, whether you are a president, officer, director, trustee, delegate, member, attorney, parliamentarian, or other adviser.
Now there’s a tool that gives you what to say and when to say it. The thing most people fear more than anything else is public speaking, and not knowing what to say can keep them from fully participating in meetings. The suggested language is consistent with the two most commonly-used parliamentary authorities, Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised (RONR) and American Institute of Parliamentarians Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure (AIPSC). You can set a default parliamentary authority and then toggle between the two for their unique rules. Touch the “Motions List” to reveal three buttons. The member button gives the language for the member, the chair button gives the language for the chair, and the info button gives information about that motion, such as the vote required and whether it needs a second.
In addition, Magic Gavel® Basic will show you how to:
- Send notice
- Create an agenda
- Open and adjourn the meeting
- Handle consent agendas
- Handle reports
- Make and handle motions
- Debate
- Go into executive session
- Create minutes
Using Magic Gavel® can help you make your meetings fair, organized and productive.
Magic Gavel® Meeting Tools
With Magic Gavel® Meeting Tools you can quickly tell if a motion passed or failed – whether the vote required was a majority, two-thirds, a ratio or a percentage. Know if you have a quorum present. Find the latest date required to send a meeting notice that complies with your bylaws. Manage debate by setting your limits, getting an audible signal when time expires.
Price: $0.99
Vote Calculator
Calculating whether a motion has passed or failed is now an easy task with the Magic Gavel®Vote Calculator.
All votes consist of two parts: the number or proportion that must be achieved and the base to which that number or proportion applies. For example, a majority is “more than half,” but half of what? If you need more than half of the votes cast, just select the “votes cast” button and the Magic Gavel® Vote Calculator will do the rest, because the default basis is the number of votes cast. If your governing documents require a percentage or a fraction, enter those numbers.
As for the base, suppose your bylaws require a majority of directors present (which many states do). You’ll need to select “other” and enter the number of directors in the room at the time the vote is taken. Or, it could be a percentage of delegates registered. Enter the number of delegates registered and the correct percentage.
Enter the number of votes cast for and against, and press “calculate.”
You will receive immediate results, including the minimum number of affirmative votes necessary to adopt and an icon that signals whether the motion has been adopted or not for a majority vote, a two-thirds vote, or the entered percentage or fraction.
Notice Calculator
The Magic Gavel® Notice Calculator will tell the last day on which you can send notice in accordance with your governance documents. If notice is not sent when required, actions taken may be null and void.
Enter the date of the meeting, then enter the number of days notice required. Touch “calculate” and it will display the last date on which the notice may be sent.
To reset the values on the Magic Gavel® Notice Calculator, press the “clear” button.
Quorum Calculator
The quorum is usually defined in the organization’s bylaws; otherwise it is a majority of all of the members. There are two components: the number or percentage required, and the number to which it applies. For example, the quorum might be a majority of delegates registered for the meeting. To calculate:
- Select the button that describes the number required: a majority, percentage, or fraction.
- Enter the number on which the quorum is based.
- Press “calculate.” The required number will be displayed.
- To reset, press “clear.”
Speaker Timer
Many organizations have rules establishing time limits for speakers or for the time to debate a motion. The Magic Gavel® Speaker Timer can be used to monitor the speaking time and to sound an alert for the speaker and the audience to hear.
Select a time limit as short as 30 seconds or as long as five minutes from ten preset time buttons. The time selection can be changed until the start button is pressed.
To set an audible alarm, set the switch to the “on” position. To keep the timer silent, set the switch to the “off” position.
To test the audible alarm, for demonstration purposes or for a microphone sound check, press and hold the Test button. Upon releasing the button, the audible alarm will quit sounding. Volume is controlled by the mobile device you are using.
Begin the countdown by choosing the time and pressing the start button. Once pressed, the start button turns into a pause button, allowing you to suspend timing. Press the start button again to resume timing.
Reset by pressing the reset button.
Sine Die Game
(pronounced: \SIGN-ee- DYE-ee\ ) Latin “without day.” Adjournment sine die is to adjourn the assembly without setting any further time to meet, in effect dissolving the assembly.
Sine Die is a parliamentary word-guessing game, similar to the classic hangman game. Displayed on your screen are the letters of the alphabet and a row of underlines indicating the number of letters to be guessed. Select a letter. If it’s in the word, it replaces the dash(es). Each wrong guess results in the gavel coming closer to adjournment. You have 10 attempts to guess the word correctly before your session is adjourned “sine die.”
Press the New Game button to begin or play another game. Enjoy!
Magic Gavel® Basic
Don’t let parliamentary procedure intimidate you. Whatever your leadership position, you can be confident with Magic Gavel® Basic. Chairs will learn how to develop an agenda, how to start a meeting, handle motions and take votes. Delegates, directors, and members can quickly find rules regarding common motions. All Magic Gavel® Meeting Tools features are included as well.
Price $9.99
Meeting Preparation
This section includes information on meeting types, notice, agenda development, executive sessions, and minutes.
Starting the Meeting
All of the language the chair needs to conduct the meeting is found in this section: how to call the meeting to order, adopt the agenda, consent agendas, approve minutes, and handle reports. Touch the button to see the text, or touch the info button to learn more.
During the Meeting
This section will take you to information about motions, the motion list for specific language and information, and the basic rules of debate and debate strategy.
Motions
Most association and board meetings follow the meeting rules in Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised (RONR) or AIP Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure (AIPSC). Just set the toggle for RONR or AIPSC, touch the button, and view the rules. Approximately thirty motions are included in Magic Gavel® Basic. Each motion has a button for basic information about the motion, how the member makes the motion, how the chair handles the motion, and how to take the vote by show of hands.
Ending the Meeting
You’re almost there. Take care of announcements and you’re ready to adjourn.
