Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Simple majority is a voting rule where an option receives more than half of the votes casted, making it the winning choice.
Related terms
Supermajority: Supermajority is a voting rule where an option requires more than a simple majority (usually two-thirds or three-fourths) of votes to be approved or passed.
Plurality: Plurality refers to the highest number of votes received by any candidate or option in an election, even if it does not constitute a majority.
A referendum is a direct vote in which citizens are asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal or law. The outcome is determined by simple majority.