Absolute majority

Absolute majority

An absolute majority or majority of the entire membership (in American English, a supermajority voting requirement) is a voting basis which usually requires that more than half of "all" the members of a group (including those absent and those present but not voting) must vote in favour of a proposition in order for it to be passed. In practical terms, it may mean that abstention from voting could be equivalent to a "no" vote.

Absolute majority can be contrasted with simple majority which only requires a majority of those actually voting to approve a proposition for it to be enacted.

Absolute majority voting is most often used to pass significant changes to constitutions or to by-laws in order to ensure that there is substantial support for a proposal.


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  • absolute majority — ➔ majority1 * * * absolute majority UK US noun [C] ► POLITICS a situation in which one person or party wins more than half of the total votes in an election: »The President has an absolute majority in the National Assembly …   Financial and business terms

  • absolute majority — absolute majorities N COUNT: usu sing If a political party wins an absolute majority, they obtain more seats or votes than the total number of seats or votes gained by their opponents in an election …   English dictionary

  • absolute majority — ► NOUN ▪ a majority over all rivals combined; more than half …   English terms dictionary

  • absolute majority — noun (elections) more than half of the votes • Syn: ↑majority • Derivationally related forms: ↑major (for: ↑majority) • Topics: ↑election …   Useful english dictionary

  • absolute majority — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms absolute majority : singular absolute majority plural absolute majorities a result in an election when one person or political party wins more than half the votes or seats …   English dictionary

  • absolute majority — absolute ma jority n [singular] when a party or person wins more than half of the total votes in an election …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • absolute majority — absolute ma jority noun count a result in an election when one person or political party wins more than half the votes or seats …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • absolute majority — 1. a number of votes constituting more than half of the number cast. 2. a number of voters constituting more than half of the number registered. Cf. simple majority. * * * …   Universalium

  • absolute majority — noun a majority over all rivals combined; more than half …   English new terms dictionary

  • absolute majority — /æbsəlut məˈdʒɒrəti/ (say absuhlooht muh joruhtee) noun → majority (def. 2) …  

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