Legal Definitions - majority vote

A majority vote occurs when a proposition, candidate, or decision receives more than half of the total votes cast. This threshold is often legally required for a motion to pass, an election to be decided, or a policy to be adopted, ensuring that the outcome reflects the preference of the largest single group of voters.

• Example 1: Corporate Board Decision
  A company's board of directors, consisting of nine members, is voting on whether to approve a significant new investment. For the investment to be approved, the company's bylaws require a majority vote. This means at least five directors (more than half of nine) must vote in favor. If six directors vote to approve the investment, it passes by a majority vote.

  This example illustrates how a specific numerical threshold—more than half of the voting members—is necessary for a decision to be legally adopted within a governing body.

• Example 2: Local Election Outcome
  In a local election for a city council seat, two candidates are running. Candidate A receives 55% of the total votes cast, while Candidate B receives 45%. Since Candidate A secured more than half of all the votes, they win the election by a majority vote.

  This demonstrates how a candidate can be elected when they achieve the required percentage of votes, surpassing the simple plurality (most votes) to achieve an absolute majority.

• Example 3: Homeowners' Association Rule Change
  A homeowners' association (HOA) is holding a meeting to decide on a proposed change to its community rules, such as allowing specific types of landscaping. The HOA's governing documents state that any rule change requires a majority vote of the members present at the meeting. If 60 members attend the meeting, at least 31 votes (more than half of 60) are needed for the rule change to pass. If 35 members vote in favor, the rule change is adopted.

  This example shows how a majority vote can apply to a specific subset of eligible voters (those present and voting) to enact changes to an organization's governing documents.