The timekeeper assists the chairperson by timing speeches and giving signals to the speakers to indicate when unprotected time (ie the time when other debaters can offer points of information) starts and finishes, and the time when the speaker should be finishing their speech.
Ideally, the timekeeper should use a bell or a buzzer but, if this is impossible, they can clap their hands loudly or knock on the table with a heavy book.
The timekeeper also assists the chairperson by acting as the ‘teller’ and helps count the votes at the end of the debate. The timekeeper’s role can be shared by two people.
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