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.

Translation of "Absolute majority"

Catalan: Majoria absoluta, Czech: Absolutní většina, Danish: Absolut flertal, Spanish: Mayoría absoluta, Galician: Maioría absoluta, Dutch: Absolute meerderheid, Norwegian (Bokmål): Absolutt flertall, Norwegian (Nynorsk): Alminneleg fleirtal, Polish: Większość bezwzględna, Swedish: Absolut majoritet.