Plurality vs majority vs supermajority

Three words describe how a vote is won, and they are not interchangeable. A plurality is the largest share of the votes, even if it is less than half. A majority is more than half. A supermajority is a larger share than a simple majority, commonly two-thirds. Which one applies depends on the decision, and the rule should be in the bylaws or governing documents of the group.

Robert’s Rules of Order describes a majority vote as more than half of the votes cast, and it treats some motions as needing a two-thirds vote. The Votense quorum calculator uses those defaults, and it notes that abstentions are not counted as votes cast. Your bylaws override these defaults, and the calculator does not know your bylaws.

Worked numbers

Suppose three options are on a ballot, and 100 votes are cast. Option A gets 40, option B gets 35, and option C gets 25. Option A has the most votes, so it wins by plurality. It does not have a majority, because 40 is not more than 50.

Now take a yes-or-no motion with 30 votes cast. A simple majority needs 16, which is more than half. Two-thirds of 30 is 20, so a supermajority needs 20 yes votes. A motion with 18 yes votes passes by majority and fails by two-thirds.

Why the rule matters

A plurality rule can elect someone that most voters did not want, if the rest of the vote is split. A majority rule requires a clear majority, which may need a second round or a ranked count. A supermajority protects a minority from a decision that most of the room supports only narrowly, such as changing a constitution. Each rule is a choice about how much agreement the group needs.

When a group has no rule written down, the decision can be disputed afterwards. Agree the rule before you vote, and record it in the minutes with the result. For a ranked method that uses rounds instead of a single count, see ranked choice voting explained.

Abstentions and blanks

Whether an abstention counts toward “votes cast” changes the threshold. Under the Robert’s Rules default described above, an abstention is not counted as a vote cast, so it does not raise the number needed for a majority. Some bylaws count abstentions differently, and some state laws set their own rules for certain decisions. Write the rule into your bylaws if it matters to you.

How to apply the rule

1. Find the threshold for this decision in your bylaws or governing documents.
2. Count the votes cast, not the members, unless the rule says otherwise.
3. Compare each result to the threshold, and state the result and the rule in the minutes.

The quorum calculator works out the fewest yes votes for a majority of votes cast, for a two-thirds threshold, and for a majority of members. For how many members must be present first, see the quorum guide, and for how to run the full election, see how to run a club or HOA election.