1630:
135:, 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
146:" 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%.
218:: 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
66:, 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).
233:: 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.
454:
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
432:
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
441:
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
240:
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
418:, 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
58:
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.
618:
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
210:
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.
986:
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."
424:, 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.
225:
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.
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120:
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.
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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
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788:"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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For example, assume that votes are cast for three people for an office: Alice, Bob, and Carol. In all three scenarios, Alice receives a
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815:"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
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membership would be six members (more than half of ten), but a majority of the fixed membership would still be seven members.
1038:
308:
In
Scenario 1, Alice received a majority of the vote. There were 20 votes cast and Alice received more than half of them.
128:
Other related terms containing the word "majority" have their own meanings, which may sometimes be inconsistent in usage.
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443:
191:
If 30 members were at a meeting, but only 20 votes were cast, a majority of members present and voting would be 10 votes.
78:, a majority always means precisely "more than half". Other common definitions (e.g. the frequent 50%+1) are incorrect.
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In
Scenario 2, assume all three candidates are eligible. In this case, no one received a majority of the vote.
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105:), spoiled votes are not included in the total and a majority vote is defined as being more than half of all
17:
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446:, by which two members can suspend action on a measure until it is called up at a meeting on another day.
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840:"The Properties of Simple Vs. Absolute Majority Rule: Cases Where Absences and Abstentions Are Important"
814:
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95:(abbreviated RONR), spoiled votes are counted as votes cast, but are not credited to any candidate. In
90:
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169:
refers to the set of members considered when calculating whether a proposal has a majority, i.e. the
32:
1495:
1358:
1031:
438:
955:
891:
See dictionary definitions of "simple majority", "absolute majority", and "qualified majority" at
663:(Fifth Revised ed.). Leiden, The Netherlands: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. pp. 561–563.
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By way of illustration, in
February 2007 the Italian Government fell after it lost a vote in the
82:
75:
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139:, i.e. the number of votes separating the first-place finisher from the second-place finisher.
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used, there may be a difference in the total that is used to calculate a majority vote due to
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In
Scenario 3, assume that Alice and Bob are eligible candidates, but Carol is not. Using
8:
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153:" is a specified threshold greater than one half. A common use of a supermajority is a "
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256:, 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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It might be useful to borrow this distinction..." (Fowler, H.W. 1965
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956:"Prodi stands down after surprise defeat in senate over US alliance"
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598:(11th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Da Capo Press. p. 400.
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157:", which is sometimes referred to as a "two-thirds majority".
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majority vote, which means more "yes" votes than "no" votes.
1430:
Rescind, repeal, annul or amend something previously adopted
112:
As it relates to a vote, a majority vote most often means a
507:
sometimes called a "relative majority" in
British English
62:
A majority is different from, but often confused with, a
27:
Subset consisting of more than half of the set's elements
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660:
1396:
Request for permission to withdraw or modify a motion
767:
925:"Frequently Asked Questions about RONR (Question 6)"
838:
Dougherty, Keith L.; Edward, Julian (January 2010).
702:
1541:
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Motions relating to methods of voting and the polls
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931:. The Robert's Rules Association. Archived from
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38:For majority votes as a social choice rule, see
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754:European Council, Council of the European Union
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929:The Official Robert's Rules of Order Web Site
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1533:The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure
1344:Objection to the consideration of a question
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579:The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure
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98:The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure
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180:: Members who cast a vote. Often called a
1605:Beauchesne's Parliamentary Rules and Forms
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689:Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
614:means "more than half"; and when the term
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1140:Principles of parliamentary procedure
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92:Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised
802:A Dictionary of Modern English Usage
442:temporary majority is the motion to
1562:Erskine May: Parliamentary Practice
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581:, 4th edition, 2001, pp. 134, 158-9
444:reconsider and enter on the minutes
433:rights of absentees. For instance,
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1584:Odgers' Australian Senate Practice
1135:History of parliamentary procedure
954:Hooper, John (February 22, 2007).
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1591:House of Representatives Practice
1379:Request to be excused from a duty
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1311:Fix the time to which to adjourn
1258:Limit or extend limits of debate
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1404:Request for any other privilege
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756:. European Council. 2024-01-11
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737:Cambridge English Dictionary
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1253:Postpone to a certain time
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178:Members present and voting
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1417:again before the assembly
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437:is typically required to
33:Majority (disambiguation)
1496:Declare the chair vacant
1359:Division of the assembly
856:10.1177/0951629809347557
792:... In America the word
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439:rescind, repeal or annul
1483:Disciplinary procedures
1392:Request for information
1121:Parliamentary procedure
982:, pp. 404–405: "A
594:Robert's Rules of Order
415:Robert's Rules of Order
83:parliamentary authority
76:parliamentary procedure
1450:Legislative procedures
1400:Request to read papers
1384:Requests and inquiries
1349:Division of a question
1435:Discharge a committee
1388:Parliamentary inquiry
1238:Postpone indefinitely
1145:Deliberative assembly
733:thefreedictionary.com
1473:Recall of Parliament
935:on December 24, 2018
750:"Qualified majority"
31:For other uses, see
1617:ABC of Chairmanship
1425:Take from the table
1070:(absolute majority)
1064:(relative majority)
651:Schermers, Henry G.
236:For example, say a
1577:Lex Parliamentaria
1321:Incidental motions
1283:Privileged motions
1230:Subsidiary motions
723:2015-12-21 at the
685:"Overall Majority"
428:Temporary majority
395:Carol (ineligible)
203:. Often called an
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1468:Motion to pass on
1458:Call of the house
1339:Suspend the rules
1263:Previous question
1220:Unanimous consent
1200:Order of business
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1047:Types of majority
790:absolute majority
670:978-90-04-18798-6
655:Blokker, Niels M.
605:978-0-306-82020-5
474:Majority function
421:The Standard Code
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216:Entire membership
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137:margin of victory
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850:(1): 85–122.
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937:. Retrieved
933:the original
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1195:Main motion
1175:Recognition
1008:Robert 2011
996:Robert 2011
980:Robert 2011
880:Robert 2011
774:Robert 2011
631:Robert 2011
567:Robert 2011
186:abstentions
171:denominator
118:Abstentions
1647:Categories
1611:Morin code
1440:Reconsider
824:2024-05-07
819:peo.gov.au
798:plurality.
760:2024-05-22
695:2009-04-26
691:. Longmans
548:2021-02-21
515:References
364:Scenario 3
312:Scenario 2
260:Scenario 1
1658:Elections
1150:Committee
1062:Plurality
893:EUabc.com
864:0951-6298
610:The word
457:50+1 rule
371:Candidate
319:Candidate
267:Candidate
254:plurality
64:plurality
1653:Majority
1215:Majority
1068:Majority
965:June 22,
794:majority
721:Archived
710:majority
657:(2011).
619:meeting.
612:majority
463:See also
248:Examples
107:eligible
48:majority
1501:Impeach
1491:Censure
1306:Adjourn
1268:Cloture
1205:Minutes
1155:Session
201:abstain
1570:Manual
1528:(RONR)
1506:Naming
1334:Appeal
1301:Recess
1248:Commit
1190:Debate
1185:Second
1180:Motion
1160:Quorum
862:
735:, and
667:
602:
538:"FAQs"
374:Votes
322:Votes
270:Votes
114:simple
52:subset
1463:Hoist
1243:Amend
1170:Floor
1165:Chair
495:Notes
403:Total
379:Alice
351:Total
343:Carol
327:Alice
299:Total
291:Carol
275:Alice
238:board
89:. In
54:of a
967:2011
941:2015
860:ISSN
665:ISBN
600:ISBN
165:The
852:doi
712:at
406:20
387:Bob
382:10
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335:Bob
330:10
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283:Bob
278:14
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142:A "
131:In
103:TSC
74:In
56:set
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