Simple English definitions for legal terms
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A majority means having more than half of something. For example, if there are 10 cookies and you have 6 of them, you have the majority of the cookies. In elections, a candidate may need a majority of votes to win, which means they need more than half of the total votes. Sometimes, a candidate only needs the most votes, even if it's not more than half, and this is called a relative majority. A super majority is when a greater percentage than a regular majority is needed, usually for very important decisions. The age of majority is when a person becomes an adult and can do things that only adults are allowed to do, like vote.
Majority means having more than half of the total. For example, if there are 10 people in a room and 6 of them agree on something, then the majority is 6.
In elections, a candidate may need a majority to win. An absolute majority means they need more than 50% of the votes. A relative majority, also known as a plurality, means they just need the most votes, even if it's less than 50%. A qualified majority, also called a super majority, requires an even greater percentage than an absolute majority and is usually needed for important decisions.
Another use of majority is to refer to the age at which a person becomes an adult and can do things that are only allowed for adults, like voting. This is called the age of majority.
For example, if a candidate needs 60% of the votes to win, they need a qualified majority. If a person turns 18, they have reached the age of majority and can vote in elections.