Majority and Quorum Explained: Simple, Absolute, Qualified
Simple, absolute and qualified majorities, abstentions and quorum explained with a worked example, so your group knows which rule decides before it votes.
Voting methodsPublished
General information, not legal advice. Check your statutes and the current law, or ask a lawyer.
A simple majority is reached when a motion gets more yes votes than no votes. An absolute majority requires more than half of a defined total, for example all members present or all votes cast. A qualified majority raises the bar further, typically to two thirds or three quarters. The quorum is a different thing entirely: it is the minimum participation a meeting or ballot needs before any decision counts.
These four terms are often mixed up, and the confusion tends to surface at the worst moment: right after a close vote. This page explains each rule, shows how the same ballot can pass or fail depending on the rule, and lists what to settle in writing beforehand.
The main majority rules at a glance
| Rule | What has to be true | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Simple (relative) majority | More yes than no among votes cast | Everyday motions, most club and committee decisions |
| Absolute majority | More than half of a fixed base (present, cast or eligible) | Elections in a first round, some statutory decisions |
| Two-thirds majority | At least two thirds of the base | Constitutional changes, removal of officers |
| Three-quarters majority | At least three quarters of the base | Changing articles, dissolving an organisation |
| Unanimity | No one votes against (sometimes: everyone votes yes) | Fundamental changes, very small bodies |
| Plurality (elections) | The candidate with the most votes wins, even under 50 % | Single-round elections with several candidates |
The word ‘base’ matters more than the fraction. Two thirds of votes cast is a much lower hurdle than two thirds of all members.
A worked example: one ballot, four outcomes
Invented example for illustration. A club has 120 members. 60 attend the general meeting. On a motion to change the membership fee, 28 vote yes, 20 vote no and 12 abstain.
| Rule | Base | Needed | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple majority of votes cast | 48 (yes + no) | more yes than no | Passed (28 to 20) |
| Absolute majority of votes cast | 48 | more than 24 | Passed (28) |
| Absolute majority of members present | 60 | more than 30 | Failed (28) |
| Two-thirds majority of votes cast | 48 | at least 32 | Failed (28) |
The same 28 yes votes win or lose depending on the wording. The difference between the second and third line is caused entirely by the 12 abstentions: once they are in the base, they act like no votes.
Abstentions, invalid and blank ballots
There are two common approaches:
- Votes cast only. Abstentions and invalid ballots are ignored. This makes it easier to reach a decision and lets people genuinely stay neutral.
- Present or eligible members. Every person in the base who does not vote yes effectively counts against. This protects against decisions made by a small active group, but makes abstaining a political act.
Neither is ‘right’. What matters is that your rules state which applies and that the chair announces it before the vote. If you vote online, configure the software accordingly; most tools let you decide whether an abstain option is shown and how it is reported. Our guide to online voting in associations and clubs covers the practical set-up.
What a quorum does
A quorum answers the question ‘are enough people taking part for this decision to count?’. It comes in several forms:
- Attendance quorum: a minimum number or share of members must be present (or logged in) for the meeting to take decisions.
- Participation quorum in a ballot: a minimum share of eligible voters must take part. Italy’s abrogative referendums are a well-known example: they are only valid if a majority of those entitled to vote take part.
- Approval quorum: a minimum share of all eligible voters must vote yes, not just a majority of those voting. Some local referendum rules work this way.
Quorums protect against decisions by a handful of people, but they have a side effect: opponents may stay away deliberately so that the threshold is missed. That is one reason why some organisations prefer an approval quorum or none at all. More on how referendums use these thresholds is on our page What is a referendum?.
Majorities in practice: proxies, postal votes and hybrids
When some members vote by proxy, by post or online, you need to know whether those votes count towards the quorum and towards the base for the majority. Usually they do if your rules allow them, but that is not automatic. See proxy and postal voting and virtual and hybrid general meetings.
Some decisions need two majorities at the same time, for example a majority of votes and a majority of member states or regions. That is explained on the page on the double majority.
Checklist: what to write down before the vote
- Which majority applies to which type of decision (ordinary, constitutional, dissolution).
- Which base: votes cast, members present or all members.
- How abstentions and invalid ballots are treated.
- Whether a quorum applies, how it is counted and what happens if it is missed.
- What happens on a tie (rejected, casting vote, repeat vote).
- How remote, proxy and postal votes count.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Statutory rules for companies, charities and associations differ by country, and your own constitution or articles usually take precedence. For the wider picture, see the voting methods overview.
Frequently asked questions
Is a simple majority the same as ‘more than 50 per cent’?
Not necessarily. A simple majority only needs more yes than no votes among those cast. ‘More than 50 per cent’ usually describes an absolute majority, and whether abstentions are in the base decides how hard that is to reach.
Do abstentions count as no votes?
It depends on the rule. If the majority is measured against votes cast, abstentions usually do not count at all. If it is measured against everyone present or everyone eligible, an abstention works like a no vote in practice.
What happens if a meeting is not quorate?
Decisions taken without the required quorum can be invalid. Many constitutions provide for a second meeting with a lower or no quorum. Check your own rules, because there is no single standard.
Is a tie a rejection?
Under most majority rules a tie means the motion has not passed, because it did not get more yes than no votes. Some bodies give the chair a casting vote; that only applies if the rules say so.
More in Voting methods
Approval and Score Voting: How They Work and When to Use Them
Approval voting lets people tick every option they accept, score voting lets them rate each one. How both work, a worked example and a quick decision guide.
Ranked-Choice Voting Explained: IRV and STV with Examples
How ranked-choice voting works, from instant runoff for one seat to the single transferable vote for several, with a fully worked example and pros and cons.