Votes That Matter: Majorities and Thresholds
One ladder for every vote the Constitution sets: one-fifth, one-third, a majority, two-thirds and three-fourths, plus the 10% and 12% people's petitions. Learn what each is for and how to count it.
What it is
A vote threshold is the smallest share of votes needed for an action to pass. The Constitution uses a small set of thresholds again and again:
- one-fifth (1/5), one-third (1/3), a majority (more than half), two-thirds (2/3) and three-fourths (3/4) of the members of a body;
- for the people themselves, petitions signed by 10% or 12% of all registered voters, with at least 3% in every legislative district.
Each threshold is tied to a kind of action. The bigger and harder to undo the action, the higher the threshold.
Why it matters on the exam
Exam items love to swap thresholds: 2/3 where the answer is 3/4, 10% where it is 12%, "members present" where it is "all Members". If you know which action goes with which rung of the ladder, and what number the fraction is taken from, these items become quick points.
The same habit helps at work: board resolutions and committee rules also say "majority of all members" or "two-thirds of those present", and the base changes the answer.
- The treaty is concurred in, because 15 is more than two-thirds of the 22 present.
- The treaty is concurred in, because 15 is a majority of the Senate.
- The treaty is not concurred in, because it needs at least 16 votes, two-thirds of all 24 Senators.
- The treaty is not concurred in, because the House must also vote.
- The treaty is concurred in, because only a majority of those present is needed.
The rest of this lesson, and every other lesson, is part of ReviewTayo.
Read moreIn the full lesson
- How to recognize it on the test
- What to look for (4 checks)
- All 6 rules and tools
- 3 worked examples, every step explained
- 6 common mistakes and how to fix them
- 3 exam techniques
- Remember: 4 key points
- Practice questions with explanations, and your progress saved
More General Information lessons
ReviewTayo has 51 lessons that follow the official scope of the exam, each with rules, worked examples, common mistakes and practice. Open one and read the first part.