In the world of voting and assemblies, it is essential to clearly understand the different types of majorities to ensure the validity of decisions. Following our article on absolute majority, here is a complete and practical guide to simple majority (also known as relative majority). You will find precise definitions, key differences with absolute majority, calculation methods, and concrete use cases for 2026.
Summary
Simple / relative majority is achieved when the “yes” votes exceed the “no” votes among the expressed ballots. It does not take into account abstentions, blank votes, or null votes. It contrasts with absolute majority (50% + 1), which is stricter. It is the most common rule for day-to-day management decisions in associations, company general meetings, and co-ownership. Finally, quorum is checked before the vote, while the majority is calculated afterward.
What Is Simple and Relative Majority?
Simple majority, also called relative majority, is the easiest threshold to reach: a proposal is adopted as soon as it obtains more favorable votes than opposing votes among the expressed ballots (from those present and represented). It does not require reaching 50% of the votes.
Adoption condition: “Yes” votes must be strictly greater than “No” votes.
The term “relative” emphasizes that the winning option is simply the one that gathers the most votes compared to the others, without a fixed numerical threshold. In practice, both expressions refer to exactly the same rule.
Why Is It the Easiest to Achieve? Because it ignores abstentions and absentees. They do not block the decision: they are simply excluded from the calculation. This allows quick progress on everyday matters without being paralyzed by low participation.
Simple / Relative Majority vs Absolute Majority: Key Differences
Concrete Example: With 100 members → 40 “Yes”, 30 “No”, 30 abstentions.→ Adopted under simple majority.→ Rejected under absolute majority.
How to Calculate Simple Majority?
- Add only the “Yes” and “No” votes (expressed ballots).
- Compare the two totals.
- If “Yes” > “No” → the decision is adopted.
Abstentions are never counted.
Main Use Cases
Simple and relative majority is mainly used for day-to-day management decisions. It is commonly applied in the following contexts:
- Associations: Election of the board, approval of financial statements and reports.
- Company General Meetings: Ordinary resolutions such as approval of accounts or allocation of profits.
- Social and Economic Committees: Most internal decisions, including internal regulations, appointment of representatives, and approval of expenses.
- Co-ownership (Copropriété): Routine matters such as the provisional budget, approval of the property manager’s accounts, and maintenance works (Article 24 of the French law of July 10, 1965).
- Local Elections: Frequently used to determine the winner in the first round in many municipalities.
It is also the default rule when the statutes or internal regulations do not specify otherwise.
