Legal Definitions - majority

The term majority carries two distinct, yet related, meanings in legal and general contexts.

• First, and most commonly, a majority refers to a number or percentage that is greater than half of a total. This concept is fundamental in decision-making processes, especially in voting. Depending on the specific rules governing a vote, different types of majorities may be required:

  • An absolute majority means more than 50% of the total votes cast or members present. This ensures that a decision has the support of over half the group.

  • A relative majority, also known as a plurality, means receiving the most votes among all options, even if that number is less than 50% of the total. This is common in multi-candidate elections where the winner doesn't need support from over half the voters, just more than any other single candidate.

  • A qualified majority, sometimes called a supermajority, requires a higher percentage than an absolute majority (e.g., two-thirds or three-quarters). This higher threshold is typically mandated for particularly significant decisions, such as amending a constitution or approving major corporate actions, to ensure broad consensus.

• Second, majority can refer to the age of majority, which is the legal age at which a person is considered an adult and gains full legal rights and responsibilities. This age varies by jurisdiction but is commonly 18 or 21 years old. Upon reaching the age of majority, individuals can enter into contracts, vote, purchase age-restricted items, and are held fully accountable for their actions under the law.

Examples:

• Election and Legislative Decisions: In a local school board election with four candidates, Candidate A receives 35% of the vote, Candidate B receives 30%, Candidate C receives 20%, and Candidate D receives 15%. Candidate A wins because they secured a relative majority (plurality) – the highest number of votes, even though it was not more than 50%. Later, when the newly elected school board needs to approve a significant change to the curriculum, their bylaws state that such a change requires an absolute majority of the 7 board members. This means at least 4 votes (more than 3.5) are needed for the curriculum change to pass.

• Constitutional Amendments: A state legislature is considering an amendment to the state constitution that would significantly alter the tax structure. The state's constitution specifies that any amendment must be approved by a qualified majority of two-thirds of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. This higher threshold ensures that such a fundamental change to the state's governing document has widespread support across the political spectrum, rather than just a simple majority.

• Reaching Legal Adulthood: In a state where the age of majority is 18, a young person named Alex celebrates their eighteenth birthday. On this day, Alex legally gains the right to sign a lease for an apartment without a parent's co-signature, enter into binding contracts, purchase alcoholic beverages (if the state's drinking age is also 18), and register to vote in federal, state, and local elections. Before this date, Alex was considered a minor and did not possess these full legal rights and responsibilities.