What is the difference between majority and supermajority

Learn More About supermajority. Share supermajority Post the Definition of supermajority to Facebook Share the Definition of supermajority on Twitter. Time Traveler for supermajority The first known use of supermajority was in See more words from the same year. From the Editors at Merriam-Webster.

Words for an Impeachment Words for an Impeachment A guide to the associated terms. Style: MLA. Legal Definition of supermajority. Get Word of the Day daily email! In some jurisdictions, for example, parliamentary procedure requires that any action that may alter the rights of the minority has a supermajority requirement such as a two-thirds majority. Changes to constitutions, especially those with entrenched clauses, commonly require supermajority support in a legislature.

A supermajority is absolute if the required percentage or fraction is based on the entire membership rather than on those present and voting. The United States Senate requires a supermajority of 60 percent to move to a vote through a cloture motion, which closes debate on a bill or nomination, thus ending a filibuster by a minority of members.

There are members, so sixty percent is sixty Senators. The United States Constitution requires a supermajority of two-thirds of both houses of United States Congress to propose a Congress-driven constitutional amendment; it also requires a three-quarters supermajority of state legislatures for final adoption of any constitutional amendment, as well as a two-thirds supermajority to pass a bill over the president's veto.

A two-thirds majority is a common supermajoritarian requirement in elections, especially whenever minority rights can be changed e. There are two kinds of two-thirds majority: the simple or the absolute. A two-thirds majority means that the number of votes for a proposition or candidate must equal or exceed twice the number of votes against it.

If unqualified, two-thirds majority by itself always means simple two-thirds majority. An absolute two-thirds majority means that two-thirds of the entire membership of a body or more must agree to the proposition.

It is much stronger than a simple requirement. Ohman, F. The 10 th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the challenge and wrote that Wyoming had the right to prevent " Supreme Court, which upheld the Circuit Court ruling. A handful of states do require a supermajority for passage of a constitutional amendment or statutory initiative.

Those states are listed below. An initiative constitutional amendment must receive a majority vote in two successive general elections in order to pass. Any measure that includes any proposed requirement for more than a majority of votes cast by the electorate to approve any change in law or government action must be approved by at least the same percentage of voters specified in the proposed voting requirement. They argue that the ballot initiative process lacks the checks found in the legislature that promote compromise and consensus and suggest that a supermajority vote requirement might help to prevent the passage of initiatives that are supported only by a narrow majority.

In , the supermajority requirement was challenged in court by supporters of a Wyoming ballot initiative that received a simple majority but failed to reach the supermajority requirement. In the general election in Wyoming, there was an initiative on the ballot calling for the passage of an amendment to the United States Constitution setting term limits for members of the United States Congress.

In the election, , votes were cast in favor of the ballot initiative while only 89, votes were cast against the measure.

On July 15, , the 10th U. Supreme Court, which upheld the Circuit Court ruling. Oleszek, Walter J. Mackenzie, Andrew. Rybicki, Elizabeth. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads.