1619:
124:, the term "size of a majority", "overall majority", or "working majority" is sometimes used to mean the difference between the number of legislators in the government and a simple majority of seats (half the seats, rounded up). This has led to some confusion and misuse of the terms "majority" or "relative majority" to mean what is correctly called the
135:" is a voting system which requires a majority of votes according to two separate criteria. e.g. in the European Union, the Council uses a double majority rule, requiring 55% of member states, representing at least 65% of the total EU population in favor. In some cases, the required percentage of member states in favor is increased to 72%.
207:: all the members of a body, including those absent and those present but not voting. In practical terms, it means an absence or an abstention from voting is equivalent to a "no" vote. It may be contrasted with a majority vote which only requires more than half of those actually voting to approve a proposition for it to be enacted
55:, which is a subset larger than any other subset but not necessarily more than half the set. For example, if there is a group with 20 members which is divided into subgroups with 9, 6, and 5 members, then the 9-member group would be the plurality, but would not be a majority (as they have less than ten members).
222:: the official, theoretical size of the full deliberative assembly. It is used only when a specific number of seats or memberships is established in the rules governing the organization. A majority of the fixed membership would be different from a majority of the entire membership if there are vacancies.
443:
The expression "at least 50% +1" is often misused when "majority" is actually intended. However, this is incorrect when the total number referred to is odd. For example, say a board has 7 members. "Majority" means "at least 4" in this case (more than half of 7, which is 3.5). But 50% + 1 is 4.5, and
421:
A temporary majority exists when the positions of the members present and voting in a meeting of a deliberative assembly on a subject are not representative of the membership as a whole. Parliamentary procedure contains some provisions designed to protect against a temporary majority violating the
430:
something previously adopted by a majority vote. However, in this and many other cases, previous notice is not required if a majority of the entire membership votes in favor, because that indicates that it is clearly not a temporary majority. Another protection against a decision being made by a
229:
has 13 seats. If the board has the maximum number of members, or 13 members, a majority of the entire membership and a majority of the fixed membership would be seven members. However, if there are two vacancies (so that there are only 11 members on the board), then a majority of the entire
407:, no one received a majority vote, which is the same as Scenario 2. In this case, the 4 votes for Carol are counted in the total, but are not credited to Carol (which precludes the possibility of an ineligible candidate being credited with receiving a majority vote). However, using
47:
consisting of more than half of the set's elements. For example, if a group consists of 31 individuals, a majority would be 16 or more individuals, while having 15 or fewer individuals would not constitute a majority.
607:
is used without qualification—as in the case of the basic requirement—it means more than half of the votes cast by persons entitled to vote, excluding blanks or abstentions, at a regular or properly called
199:
If 30 members were at a meeting, a majority of the members present would be 16. In any situation which specifies such a requirement for a vote, an abstention would have the same effect as a "no" vote.
975:
is the largest number of votes to be given any candidate or proposition when three or more choices are possible; the candidate or proposition receiving the largest number of votes has a plurality."
413:, Alice received a majority vote since only votes for eligible candidates are counted. In this case, there are 16 votes for eligible candidates and Alice received more than half of those 16 votes.
214:
by 158 votes to 136 (with 24 abstentions). The government needed an absolute majority in the 318-member house but fell two votes short of the required 160 when two of its own supporters abstained.
1352:
109:
or blanks are excluded in calculating a simple majority vote. Also, the totals do not include votes cast by someone not entitled to vote or improper multiple votes by a single member.
1403:
1529:
1246:
444:
since a number of people can only be integer, "at least 50% + 1" would mean "at least 5". An example of the expression's misuse to refer to a majority is the
1384:
1100:
717:
643:
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777:"With three-cornered contests as common as they now are, we may have occasion to find a convenient single word for what we used to call an
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86:
241:
For example, assume that votes are cast for three people for an office: Alice, Bob, and Carol. In all three scenarios, Alice receives a
1543:
1309:
1271:
1218:
1198:
804:"In Parliament, which votes require a simple majority and which votes require an absolute majority? - Parliamentary Education Office"
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itself has that meaning while a poll greater than that of any other candidate, but less than half the votes cast is called a
709:
657:
592:
230:
membership would be six members (more than half of ten), but a majority of the fixed membership would still be seven members.
1027:
297:
In
Scenario 1, Alice received a majority of the vote. There were 20 votes cast and Alice received more than half of them.
117:
Other related terms containing the word "majority" have their own meanings, which may sometimes be inconsistent in usage.
1550:
432:
180:
If 30 members were at a meeting, but only 20 votes were cast, a majority of members present and voting would be 10 votes.
67:, a majority always means precisely "more than half". Other common definitions (e.g. the frequent 50%+1) are incorrect.
1380:
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In
Scenario 2, assume all three candidates are eligible. In this case, no one received a majority of the vote.
1438:
1284:
94:), spoiled votes are not included in the total and a majority vote is defined as being more than half of all
1586:
435:, by which two members can suspend action on a measure until it is called up at a meeting on another day.
1428:
1042:
829:"The Properties of Simple Vs. Absolute Majority Rule: Cases Where Absences and Abstentions Are Important"
803:
1513:
1357:
1289:
1241:
582:
403:
84:(abbreviated RONR), spoiled votes are counted as votes cast, but are not credited to any candidate. In
79:
1188:
158:
refers to the set of members considered when calculating whether a proposal has a majority, i.e. the
21:
1484:
1347:
1020:
427:
944:
880:
See dictionary definitions of "simple majority", "absolute majority", and "qualified majority" at
652:(Fifth Revised ed.). Leiden, The Netherlands: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. pp. 561–563.
1504:
1471:
1327:
1109:
725:
210:
By way of illustration, in
February 2007 the Italian Government fell after it lost a vote in the
71:
64:
1651:
1372:
1337:
128:, i.e. the number of votes separating the first-place finisher from the second-place finisher.
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125:
74:
used, there may be a difference in the total that is used to calculate a majority vote due to
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1226:
1133:
702:
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1423:
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401:
In
Scenario 3, assume that Alice and Bob are eligible candidates, but Carol is not. Using
8:
1605:
1158:
1013:
673:
142:" is a specified threshold greater than one half. A common use of a supermajority is a "
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245:, or the most votes among the candidates, but in some she does not receive a majority.
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used in calculating the percent support for a vote. Common voting bases include:
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188:: All members present at a meeting, including those who do not vote or
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It might be useful to borrow this distinction..." (Fowler, H.W. 1965
1005:
945:"Prodi stands down after surprise defeat in senate over US alliance"
1479:
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587:(11th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Da Capo Press. p. 400.
40:
146:", which is sometimes referred to as a "two-thirds majority".
105:
majority vote, which means more "yes" votes than "no" votes.
1419:
Rescind, repeal, annul or amend something previously adopted
101:
As it relates to a vote, a majority vote most often means a
496:
sometimes called a "relative majority" in
British English
51:
A majority is different from, but often confused with, a
16:
Subset consisting of more than half of the set's elements
666:
649:
1385:
Request for permission to withdraw or modify a motion
756:
914:"Frequently Asked Questions about RONR (Question 6)"
827:
Dougherty, Keith L.; Edward, Julian (January 2010).
691:
1530:
1353:
Motions relating to methods of voting and the polls
1633:
920:. The Robert's Rules Association. Archived from
864:
862:
638:
27:For majority votes as a social choice rule, see
826:
743:European Council, Council of the European Union
551:
549:
547:
1094:
1021:
918:The Official Robert's Rules of Order Web Site
859:
1522:The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure
1333:Objection to the consideration of a question
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568:The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure
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87:The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure
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169:: Members who cast a vote. Often called a
1594:Beauchesne's Parliamentary Rules and Forms
1101:
1087:
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678:Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
603:means "more than half"; and when the term
1199:Voting methods in deliberative assemblies
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531:Official Robert's Rules of Order Website
1544:Mason's Manual of Legislative Procedure
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1343:Consideration by paragraph or seriatim
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580:Robert, Henry M.; et al. (2011).
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39:is more than half of a total. It is a
1514:Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised
1129:Principles of parliamentary procedure
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1035:
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81:Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised
791:A Dictionary of Modern English Usage
431:temporary majority is the motion to
1551:Erskine May: Parliamentary Practice
887:
570:, 4th edition, 2001, pp. 134, 158-9
433:reconsider and enter on the minutes
422:rights of absentees. For instance,
13:
1573:Odgers' Australian Senate Practice
1124:History of parliamentary procedure
943:Hooper, John (February 22, 2007).
906:
768:
14:
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1580:House of Representatives Practice
1368:Request to be excused from a duty
1617:
1300:Fix the time to which to adjourn
1247:Limit or extend limits of debate
533:. The Robert's Rules Association
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1393:Request for any other privilege
1358:Motions relating to nominations
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1280:Call for the orders of the day
745:. European Council. 2024-01-11
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1285:Raise a question of privilege
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1537:Riddick's Rules of Procedure
726:Cambridge English Dictionary
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1242:Postpone to a certain time
697:Dictionary definitions of
167:Members present and voting
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1505:Parliamentary authorities
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1406:again before the assembly
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718:Oxford English Dictionary
426:is typically required to
22:Majority (disambiguation)
1485:Declare the chair vacant
1348:Division of the assembly
845:10.1177/0951629809347557
781:... In America the word
483:
428:rescind, repeal or annul
1472:Disciplinary procedures
1381:Request for information
1110:Parliamentary procedure
971:, pp. 404–405: "A
583:Robert's Rules of Order
404:Robert's Rules of Order
72:parliamentary authority
65:parliamentary procedure
1439:Legislative procedures
1389:Request to read papers
1373:Requests and inquiries
1338:Division of a question
1424:Discharge a committee
1377:Parliamentary inquiry
1227:Postpone indefinitely
1134:Deliberative assembly
722:thefreedictionary.com
1462:Recall of Parliament
924:on December 24, 2018
739:"Qualified majority"
20:For other uses, see
1606:ABC of Chairmanship
1414:Take from the table
1059:(absolute majority)
1053:(relative majority)
640:Schermers, Henry G.
225:For example, say a
1566:Lex Parliamentaria
1310:Incidental motions
1272:Privileged motions
1219:Subsidiary motions
712:2015-12-21 at the
674:"Overall Majority"
417:Temporary majority
384:Carol (ineligible)
192:. Often called an
1629:
1628:
1457:Motion to pass on
1447:Call of the house
1328:Suspend the rules
1252:Previous question
1209:Unanimous consent
1189:Order of business
1076:
1075:
1036:Types of majority
779:absolute majority
659:978-90-04-18798-6
644:Blokker, Niels M.
594:978-0-306-82020-5
463:Majority function
410:The Standard Code
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205:Entire membership
194:absolute majority
126:margin of victory
70:Depending on the
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133:double majority
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839:(1): 85–122.
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605:majority vote
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585:Newly Revised
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926:. Retrieved
922:the original
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1184:Main motion
1164:Recognition
997:Robert 2011
985:Robert 2011
969:Robert 2011
869:Robert 2011
763:Robert 2011
620:Robert 2011
556:Robert 2011
175:abstentions
160:denominator
107:Abstentions
1636:Categories
1600:Morin code
1429:Reconsider
813:2024-05-07
808:peo.gov.au
787:plurality.
749:2024-05-22
684:2009-04-26
680:. Longmans
537:2021-02-21
504:References
353:Scenario 3
301:Scenario 2
249:Scenario 1
1647:Elections
1139:Committee
1051:Plurality
882:EUabc.com
853:0951-6298
599:The word
446:50+1 rule
360:Candidate
308:Candidate
256:Candidate
243:plurality
53:plurality
1642:Majority
1204:Majority
1057:Majority
954:June 22,
783:majority
710:Archived
699:majority
646:(2011).
608:meeting.
601:majority
452:See also
237:Examples
96:eligible
37:majority
1490:Impeach
1480:Censure
1295:Adjourn
1257:Cloture
1194:Minutes
1144:Session
190:abstain
1559:Manual
1517:(RONR)
1495:Naming
1323:Appeal
1290:Recess
1237:Commit
1179:Debate
1174:Second
1169:Motion
1149:Quorum
851:
724:, and
656:
591:
527:"FAQs"
363:Votes
311:Votes
259:Votes
103:simple
41:subset
1452:Hoist
1232:Amend
1159:Floor
1154:Chair
484:Notes
392:Total
368:Alice
340:Total
332:Carol
316:Alice
288:Total
280:Carol
264:Alice
227:board
78:. In
43:of a
956:2011
930:2015
849:ISSN
654:ISBN
589:ISBN
154:The
841:doi
701:at
395:20
376:Bob
371:10
343:20
324:Bob
319:10
291:20
272:Bob
267:14
138:A "
131:A "
120:In
92:TSC
63:In
45:set
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