Voting FAQs

In the context of ballot measures, “majority rule” typically refers to the standard of a simple majority deciding the outcome of a vote. Simple majority rule is an effective structure to ensure that the majority of voters have their preferences heard. It is a founding principle of American democracy.

Supermajorities are more controversial. Debate often centers on the merits of coalescing a broad coalition to support something vs the reality that supermajorities deliver significant power to minority viewpoints. When states set higher bars for passage, it can functionally turn majority rule into minority rule. In this scenario, a coalition of just more than 40% of voters can effectively block a policy supported by the other nearly 60% of voters. This gives a relatively small number of voters veto power over the majority, which undermines the fairness of the democratic process.