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Simple English definitions for legal terms
absolute majority
Read a random definition: ad satisfaciendum
A quick definition of absolute majority:
An absolute majority is when more than half of all eligible voters in an election vote for a particular candidate or option, regardless of whether or not everyone actually voted. This is different from a simple majority, which only requires more than half of those who actually voted. A supermajority is when a larger proportion, such as two-thirds, is required for certain important decisions.
A more thorough explanation:
Definition: An absolute majority is a majority of all those who are entitled to vote in a particular election, whether or not they actually cast ballots.
For example, if there are 100 eligible voters and 60 of them cast their ballots, an absolute majority would be 51 votes (more than half of 100). This means that even if some eligible voters did not participate in the election, the candidate who receives 51 or more votes would win.
An absolute majority is different from a simple majority, which only requires more than half of the votes cast. In a simple majority, the number of votes needed to win depends on how many people actually vote.