Legal Definitions - half plus one

"Half plus one" is a colloquial phrase sometimes used to describe the number of votes or members required to achieve a majority in a group. It literally suggests taking half of the total number and adding one to it. While this calculation often yields the correct number for a majority, particularly in groups with an even number of members, it is an imprecise and often inaccurate way to define a majority. A true majority simply requires *more than half* of the total. For groups with an odd number of members, "half plus one" would result in a fractional number, which is impractical for counting votes or people. The more accurate and legally precise term for this concept is a simple majority.

• City Council Vote: Imagine a city council with 10 members voting on whether to approve a new park development. For the proposal to pass, it needs a majority vote. If one were to apply "half plus one," they would calculate half of 10 (which is 5) plus one, resulting in 6 votes.

  This example shows how "half plus one" can correctly identify the threshold for a majority in an even-numbered group. Six votes represent more than half of the 10-member council, ensuring a clear decision.

• Small Committee Decision: Consider a five-person ad-hoc committee tasked with recommending a new software system. To make an official recommendation, they need a majority agreement among their members. If the "half plus one" rule were strictly applied, it would mean half of 5 (which is 2.5) plus one, resulting in 3.5 members.

  This illustrates the imprecision of "half plus one" when dealing with an odd number of members. You cannot have 3.5 people agreeing. In reality, a simple majority would require 3 members to agree, as 3 is the smallest whole number greater than half of 5.

• Shareholder Resolution: A company has 20 shareholders, and they are voting on a resolution to change the company's bylaws. For the resolution to pass, it requires a majority of shareholder votes. Using the "half plus one" calculation, this would mean half of 20 (which is 10) plus one, totaling 11 votes.

  Here, "half plus one" accurately identifies the minimum number of votes needed for the resolution to pass. Eleven votes represent more than half of the total shareholders, demonstrating that the winning side has a clear numerical advantage.