What is a qualified or double majority vote?

What is a qualified or double majority vote?

A double majority is a voting system which requires a majority of votes according to two separate criteria. The mechanism is usually used to require strong support for any measure considered to be of great importance.

When voting What does it mean to have majority rule?

Majority rule is a decision rule that selects alternatives which have a majority, that is, more than half the votes. It is the binary decision rule used most often in influential decision-making bodies, including all the legislatures of democratic nations.

What is the simple majority voting rule?

Majority, a voting requirement of more than half of all ballots cast. Plurality (voting), a voting requirement of more ballots cast for a proposition than for any other option. First-past-the-post voting, shifts the winner of the election from an absolute majority outcome to a simple majority outcome.

Why is qualified majority voting important?

Qualified majority voting (QMV) is a mechanism used within the European Council and Council of the EU to take decisions without the need for unanimity but which go beyond a simple majority of members.

How does a double majority work?

A referendum is only passed if it is approved by a majority of voters across the nation and a majority of voters in a majority of states—this is known as a double majority. Territory voters are only counted in the national majority. If a referendum is successful, the change is made to the Constitution.

What does qualified majority mean?

A qualified majority (QM) is the number of votes required in the Council for a decision to be adopted when issues are being debated on the basis of Article 16 of the Treaty on European Union and Article 238 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

What is the difference between a majority vote and a plurality vote?

A plurality vote (in Canada and the United States) or relative majority (in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth except Canada) describes the circumstance when a candidate or proposition polls more votes than any other but does not receive more than half of all votes cast.

What has to happen for a double majority to be achieved?

For a referendum to be successful and the alteration to the constitution to be passed, a double majority vote must be achieved, which is: a majority of voters in a majority of states (at least four of the six states) a national majority of voters (an overall YES vote of more than a 50 per cent).

Which voting system is used in the federal Senate?

Senators are elected by a preferential voting system— proportional voting —which is designed to allocate seats to candidates in proportion to votes cast in an election.

What is a double majority in the Senate?

Double majority. The mechanism is usually used to require strong support for any measure considered to be of great importance. Typically in legislative bodies, a double majority requirement exists in the form of a quorum being necessary for legislation to be passed.

What is a double majority in a referendum?

Double majority is used in the United States for some initiative or referendum votes on issues such as a tax levy or bond. Essentially, a double majority standard applies a two-part test to a vote outcome before a measure is passed:

Does Australia have a double majority requirement for legislation?

Typically in legislative bodies, a double majority requirement exists in the form of a quorum being necessary for legislation to be passed. In Australia, constitutional changes must be passed at a referendum in a majority of states (4 of the 6), and by a majority of voters nationally.

What does a majority of voters mean in Australia?

A national majority (more than half) of voters from all states and territories vote ‘No’. A majority (more than half) of voters in at least three states vote ‘No’. and/or. The votes of people living in the ACT, the NT and any of Australia’s external territories count towards the national majority only.