The basic requirement for adoption of a motion by any assembly with a quorum is a
Majority Vote,
except for certain motions as listed below. A Majority is 'more than half' of the votes cast by persons legally entitled to vote, excluding blank votes and abstentions.
Majority does not mean 51%. In a situation with 1000 votes, Majority = 501 votes; but 51% = 510 votes.
- Let's see an example:
- The chair instructed the members, at a meeting with a quorum, to vote by writing 'Yes' or 'No' on a piece of paper.
- Of the members present, 100 were entitled to vote, but 15 did not cast a ballot. Of the 85 votes cast: 75 were legal; 10 were illegal (the members wrote 'Maybe'); and 4 were turned in blank (abstained).
- The Majority is any number larger than one half of the total of ...
(legal votes cast) - (blank votes cast) + (illegal votes cast).
- Of the 85 Votes Cast by members entitled to vote ...
(75 were valid) - (4 were blank) + (10 were illegal) = 81 Votes Cast.
- One half of 81 Votes Cast is 40 1/2. Majority was 41 votes.