Quorum?

[Elwar]

According to Robert's Rules you need a majority of anticipated participants to have a quorum.

If you have no quorum they have to adjourn.

[sailingaway]

That is why the party hacks flee when they are losing, to destroy quorum. Generally if they flee they don't actually HAVE more than half or they would vote stuff their way, but it encourages people to leave who aren't prepared for the extraordinary occurrence, (as in Alaska). so if it happens people have to IMMEDIATELY say they can continue by electing a new chair so people need to stick around.

[MozoVote]

The invalidity of a quorum must be acknowledged if a count reveals it. But when everybody is "old boys club" and agrees on most of the issues and knows each other, there might not be a quorum, and it's quietly ignored. All it takes is one trouble-maker to stand and request a quorum call though to upset the applecart.