Majority

Last updated
For other uses, see Majority (disambiguation).For majority votes as a social choice rule, see Majority rule.

A majority is more than half of a total. [1] It is a subset of a set 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.

Contents

A majority is different from a plurality [note 1] (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. A plurality is not necessarily a majority, as the largest subset considered may consist of less than half the set's elements, if there are three or more possible choices.

Majority vote

In parliamentary procedure, the term "majority" means "more than half." [1] : 4 

Depending on the parliamentary authority used, there may be a difference in the total that is used to calculate a majority vote due to spoiled votes. [2] In Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (abbreviated RONR), spoiled votes are counted as votes cast, but are not credited to any candidate. [2] In The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure (abbreviated TSC), spoiled votes are not included in the total and a majority vote is defined as being more than half of all eligible votes cast. [3]

As it relates to a vote, a majority vote most often means a simple or relative majority vote, which means more "yes" votes than "no" votes. [4] [5] Abstentions or blanks are excluded in calculating a simple majority vote. [1] : 6  Also, the totals do not include votes cast by someone not entitled to vote or improper multiple votes by a single member. [2]

By contrast, an absolute majority refers to more than half of all votes, including any abstentions.

Other related terms containing the word "majority" have their own meanings, which may sometimes be inconsistent in usage. [6]

A "simple majority" is normally differentiated from both "absolute majority" and from a plurality in that it is more than half of votes cast, explicitly excluding abstentions. [7] [8] [9] In an election with two candidates or a binary yes/no vote, and having abstention an alternative, there is always a simple majority, unless they tie. Here, simple majority is a weaker requirement than absolute majority (more than half of votes including abstentions, more than the aggregate of all other alternatives) and a stronger requirement than plurality.

An "absolute majority" means a majority of all electors, not just those who voted, in situations where "not voting" is treated as equivalent to "abstention". [6] [7] [10] This usage would be equivalent to a "majority of the entire membership". The meaning of "absolute majority" and "simple majority" may have to be determined from the context in which these terms are used. [6]

A "supermajority", or a "qualified majority", is a specified higher threshold than one half. [6] A common use of a supermajority is a "two-thirds vote", which is sometimes referred to as a "two-thirds majority".

In parliamentary systems, an "overall majority" is the difference of legislators between the government and its opposition. [11] In this context, the term "majority" could be also alternatively used to refer to the winning margin, i.e. the number of votes separating the first-place finisher from the second-place finisher. [12] [11]

A "double majority" is a voting system which requires a majority of votes according to two separate criteria. [6]

Examples

For example, assume that votes are cast for three people for an office: Alice, Bob, and Carol.

Scenario 1

CandidateVotes
Alice14
Bob4
Carol2
Total20

In Scenario 1, Alice received a majority of the vote. There were 20 votes cast and Alice received more than half of them.

Scenario 2

CandidateVotes
Alice10
Bob6
Carol4
Total20

In Scenario 2, assume all three candidates are eligible. In this case, no one received a majority of the vote.

Scenario 3

CandidateVotes
Alice10
Bob6
Carol (ineligible)4
Total20

In Scenario 3, assume that Alice and Bob are eligible candidates, but Carol is not. Using Robert's Rules of Order , 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 The Standard Code , Alice received a majority vote since only votes for eligible candidates are counted using this book. In this case, there are 16 votes for eligible candidates and Alice received more than half of those 16 votes.

Comparison to plurality

In all three scenarios, Alice received a plurality, or the most votes among the candidates. [13] However, only in Scenario 1 did Alice receive a majority vote using Robert's Rules of Order.

Temporary majority

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 rights of absentees. For instance, previous notice is required to rescind, repeal or annul or amend something previously adopted by a majority vote; if previous notice has not been given, a two-thirds vote is required. [14] 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 temporary majority is the motion to reconsider and enter on the minutes, by which two members can suspend action on a measure until it is called up at a meeting on another day. [15]

Application in other voting requirements

"Majority" could be specified with respect to the voting body.

"Majority of the entire membership" and "majority of the fixed membership"

A "majority of the entire membership" means more than half of all the members of a body. [16] A "majority of the fixed membership" means more than half of all the seats of a body. [16] A majority of the entire membership is different from a majority of the fixed membership when there are vacancies. [16]

For example, say a board has 12 seats. If the board has the maximum number of members, or 12 members, a majority of the entire membership and a majority of the fixed membership would both be 7 members. However, if there are two vacancies (so that there are only 10 members on the board), then a majority of the entire membership would be 6 members (more than half of 10), but a majority of the fixed membership would still be 7 members. [16]

"Majority of the members present"

A "majority of the members present" means more than half of the members at the meeting. [16] 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. [1] : 6 

A vote of a "majority of the members present" is not the same as a "majority vote". When unqualified, a "majority vote" is taken to mean more than half of the votes cast. [4] If 30 members were at a meeting, but only 20 votes were cast, a majority vote would be 11 votes. [16]

Common errors

The expression "at least 50% +1" is sometimes used when "majority" is actually intended [1] : 4  but this is incorrect when the total number referred to is odd; instead, a majority means "over 50%". For example, say a board has 7 members. "Majority" means "at least 4" in this case (more than half of 7). But 50% + 1 is 4.5, and since a number of people can only be integer, "at least 50% + 1" would mean "at least 5". An example of the expression's use to refer to a majority is the 50+1 rule.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ sometimes called a "relative majority" in British English

Related Research Articles

Plurality voting refers to electoral systems in the candidates in an electoral district who poll more than any other are elected. Used for elections of various offices or representative bodies, it is often contrasted with proportional representation. Plurality voting is also called simple majority or relative majority voting, however, is it also often explicitly distinguished from majority voting, in which a winning candidate must receive an absolute majority of votes: more than half of all votes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Two-round system</span> Voting system

The two-round system (TRS), also known as runoff voting, second ballot, or ballotage, is a voting method used to elect a single candidate. The first round is held using simple plurality to choose the top-two candidates, and then in the second round the winner is chosen by majority vote. The two-round system is widely used in the election of legislative bodies and directly elected presidents.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Voting</span> Method to make collective decisions

Voting is a method by which a group, such as a meeting or an electorate, convenes together for the purpose of making a collective decision or expressing an opinion usually following discussions, debates or election campaigns. Democracies elect holders of high office by voting. Residents of a jurisdiction represented by an elected official are called "constituents", and the constituents who choose to cast a ballot for their chosen candidate are called "voters." There are different systems for collecting votes, but while many of the systems used in decision-making can also be used as electoral systems, any which cater to proportional representation can only be used in elections.

Coombs' method or the Coombs rule is a ranked voting system which uses a ballot counting method for ranked voting created by Clyde Coombs. Coombs' method can be thought of as a cross between instant-runoff voting and anti-plurality voting.

Block voting, also known as bloc voting, refers to certain electoral systems where multiple candidates are elected simultaneously. They do not guarantee minority representation and allow a group of voters to ensure that only their preferred candidates are elected. In these systems, a voter can select as many candidates as there are open seats. That is, the voter has as many votes to cast as the number of seats to fill. The block voting systems are among various election systems available for use in multi-member districts where the voting system allows for the selection of multiple winners at once.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plurality (voting)</span> Poll most votes, but less than half overall

A plurality vote or relative majority describes the circumstance when a party, candidate, or proposition polls more votes than any other but does not receive more than half of all votes cast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Council of States (Switzerland)</span> Upper house of the Federal Assembly of Switzerland

The Council of States is the upper house of the Federal Assembly, and the lower house being the National Council. It comprises 46 members.

A supermajority is a requirement for a proposal to gain a specified level of support which is greater than the threshold of more than one-half used for a simple majority. Supermajority rules in a democracy can help to prevent a majority from eroding fundamental rights of a minority, but they can also hamper efforts to respond to problems and encourage corrupt compromises at times when action is taken. Changes to constitutions, especially those with entrenched clauses, commonly require supermajority support in a legislature. Parliamentary procedure requires that any action of a deliberative assembly that may alter the rights of a minority have a supermajority requirement, such as a two-thirds vote. In consensus democracy the supermajority rule is applied in most cases.

The Federal Convention, also known as the Federal Assembly, is, together with the Joint Committee, one of two non-standing constitutional bodies in the federal institutional system of the Federal Republic of Germany. It is convened solely for the purpose of electing the President of Germany, either every five years or within 30 days of the premature termination of a presidential term. The Federal Convention consists of all members of the German federal parliament (Bundestag) and the same number of delegates from the 16 federated states. Those delegates are elected by the state parliaments for this purpose only.

Majority rule is the principle that a group which has more than half of all voters should be allowed to make the decisions for a group. Majority rule is the binary decision rule most often used in decision-making bodies, including many legislatures of democratic nations. Where no one party wins a majority of the seats in a legislature, the majority of legislators that wields power is partly composed of members of other parties in support.

At a national level, Greece holds elections for its legislature, the Hellenic Parliament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abstention</span> Refusal to vote during an election

Abstention is a term in election procedure for when a participant in a vote either does not go to vote or, in parliamentary procedure, is present during the vote but does not cast a ballot. Abstention must be contrasted with "blank vote", in which a voter casts a ballot willfully made invalid by marking it wrongly or by not marking anything at all. A "blank voter" has voted, although their vote may be considered a spoilt vote, depending on each legislation, while an abstaining voter has not voted. Both forms may or may not, depending on the circumstances, be considered to be a protest vote. Abstention is related to political apathy and low voter turnout.

The majority criterion is a voting system criterion. The criterion states that "if only one candidate is ranked first by a majority of voters, then that candidate must win."

In electoral systems, a wasted vote is any vote that does not receive representation in the final election outcome.

The exhaustive ballot is a voting system used to elect a single winner. Under the exhaustive ballot the elector casts a single vote for their chosen candidate. However, if no candidate is supported by an overall majority of votes then the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and a further round of voting occurs. This process is repeated for as many rounds as necessary until one candidate has a majority.

Deliberative assemblies – bodies that use parliamentary procedure to arrive at decisions – use several methods of voting on motions. The regular methods of voting in such bodies are a voice vote, a rising vote, and a show of hands. Additional forms of voting include a recorded vote and balloting.

The multiple non-transferable vote (MNTV) is a group of voting system, in which voters elect several representatives at once, with each voter having more than one vote. MNTV uses multi-member electoral districts or only one district, which contains all voters, which is used to provide at-large representation.

Plurality block voting, also known as plurality-at-large voting, bloc vote or block voting (BV) is a non-proportional voting system for electing representatives in multi-winner elections. Each voter may cast as many votes as the number of seats to be filled. The usual result when the candidates divide into parties is that the most popular party in the district sees its full slate of candidates elected in a seemingly landslide victory.

Instant-runoff voting (IRV), also known as plurality with elimination or plurality loser, is a ranked-choice voting system that modifies plurality by repeatedly eliminating the last-place finisher until only one candidate is left. In the United Kingdom, it is generally called the alternative vote (AV). In the United States, IRV is often conflated with ranked-choice voting (RCV); however, this conflation is not completely standard, and social choice theorists tend to prefer more explicit terms.

The electoral system of Hungary is the set of voting methods and rules used in Hungary, including mainly the system for electing members of the National Assembly : and local government elections. The Hungarian electoral system also includes the systems used for the European Parliament elections held in Hungary and the elections of minority local government elections, as well as the rules of referendums and similar initiatives. The president of the republic is not directly elected.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "FAQs". Official Robert's Rules of Order Website. The Robert's Rules Association. Retrieved 2021-02-21.
  2. 1 2 3 Robert 2011 , p. 416
  3. ↑ The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure, 4th edition, 2001, pp. 134, 158-9
  4. 1 2 Robert, Henry M.; et al. (2011). Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (11th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Da Capo Press. p. 400. ISBN   978-0-306-82020-5. The word majority means "more than half"; and when the term majority vote 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 meeting.
  5. ↑ Robert 2011 , p. 405
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Schermers, Henry G.; Blokker, Niels M. (2011). International Institutional Law: Unity Within Diversity (Fifth Revised ed.). Leiden, The Netherlands: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. pp. 561–563. ISBN   978-90-04-18798-6.
  7. 1 2 "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 absolute majority... In America the word majority itself has that meaning while a poll greater than that of any other candidate, but less than half the votes cast is called a plurality. It might be useful to borrow this distinction..." (Fowler, H.W. 1965 A Dictionary of Modern English Usage)
  8. ↑ "In Parliament, which votes require a simple majority and which votes require an absolute majority? - Parliamentary Education Office". peo.gov.au. Retrieved 2024-05-07.
  9. ↑ Dougherty, Keith L.; Edward, Julian (January 2010). "The Properties of Simple Vs. Absolute Majority Rule: Cases Where Absences and Abstentions Are Important". Journal of Theoretical Politics. 22 (1): 85–122. doi:10.1177/0951629809347557. ISSN   0951-6298.
  10. ↑ See dictionary definitions of "simple majority", "absolute majority", and "qualified majority" at EUabc.com.
  11. 1 2 "Overall Majority". Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English. Longmans. Retrieved 2009-04-26.
  12. ↑ Dictionary definitions of majority at Merriam-Webster, dictionary.com Archived 2015-12-21 at the Wayback Machine , Oxford English Dictionary, thefreedictionary.com, and Cambridge English Dictionary.
  13. ↑ Robert 2011 , pp. 404–405: "A plurality vote 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."
  14. ↑ Robert 2011 , p. 306
  15. ↑ Robert 2011 , p. 332
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Robert 2011 , p. 403
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.