Election & Voting Terms Glossary

Running a vote comes with its own vocabulary. Here are the most common election and voting terms, explained in plain English, from quorum and plurality to ranked choice, STV, and supermajority.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Abstain

A formal choice to take part in a vote without supporting or opposing any option. An abstention is recorded as participation (and can count toward quorum) but is not a vote for or against.

Approval Voting

A method where voters approve several candidates instead of picking just one, and the most-approved candidates win. In ElectionChamp, use a Plurality question with more than one winner: each voter picks up to as many candidates as there are winners, and the candidates with the most votes win.

Audit Trail

A timestamped record of what happened in an election, such as when ballots were cast (never how), reminders sent, keys added and results viewed, so the process can be reviewed later.

Ballot

The set of candidates, questions, or motions a voter is asked to decide. A single ballot can contain several questions, each using a different voting method.

Borda Count

A ranked method that assigns points by position (higher ranks earn more points), and the candidate with the most total points wins. It rewards broad consensus rather than first-choice support alone. ElectionChamp counts ranked choice ballots this way.

Bylaws

The governing rules of an organization. They usually define who may vote, how elections run, what counts as quorum, and the majority needed to pass a measure. Always check your bylaws before changing how you vote.

Cumulative Voting

A method that gives each voter multiple votes to distribute among candidates, including casting several for one candidate, which can help minority groups win representation.

Droop Quota

The minimum number of votes a candidate must reach to win a seat under Single Transferable Vote, derived from the number of votes cast and the number of seats available.

Majority

More than half of the votes cast (over 50%). A “simple majority” is the most common threshold for passing a motion or winning an election.

Motion

A formal proposal put to a vote (such as approving a budget or amending a rule), usually decided yes / no, and sometimes with an abstain option.

Nomination

The process of proposing candidates for a position. A nomination question has no list: members type the names they want to put forward, the results count each name, and the committee builds the slate from them.

Plurality (First-Past-the-Post)

The candidate or option with the most votes wins, even if that total is less than a majority. It is the simplest and most widely used voting method.

Proportional Representation

An approach that allocates seats in proportion to each group’s share of the vote, so a minority that wins, say, 30% of the vote earns roughly 30% of the seats.

Proxy Voting

Authorizing another person to cast your vote on your behalf, common in HOAs and corporate governance. The rules for proxies are normally set by your bylaws.

Quorum

The minimum number of members who must take part for a vote to be valid. If quorum is not reached, decisions made may not be binding.

Ranked Choice Voting (RCV)

A method where voters rank candidates in order of preference. In its most common form, instant-runoff, if no candidate has a majority the lowest-ranking candidate is eliminated and those votes transfer to the next preference until one candidate wins. ElectionChamp counts ranked ballots with Borda points instead: each rank earns points and the highest total wins.

Ratification

A formal vote to approve or confirm a decision that has already been negotiated or proposed, such as members ratifying a union contract or a board’s bylaw change.

Referendum

A direct vote by all eligible members on a single question, such as a dues increase, a merger or a bylaw change, instead of leaving the decision to the board.

Secret Ballot (Anonymous Ballot)

A vote cast so that no one can link a ballot back to the person who cast it, protecting voters from pressure or retaliation.

Single Transferable Vote (STV)

A proportional, ranked method for filling multiple seats. Votes a candidate does not need to win (the surplus) and votes for eliminated candidates transfer to other preferences, reducing wasted votes.

Slate

A group of candidates running together for multiple positions, often presented (and sometimes voted on) as a single set.

Supermajority

A threshold higher than a simple majority, commonly two-thirds (66.7%) or three-quarters (75%), often required for major decisions such as amending bylaws.

Teller

A person or system responsible for counting votes and reporting the result. Online platforms automate the count and keep an audit trail.

Tie / Tiebreaker

When two or more options receive the same number of votes. How a tie is resolved (a runoff, a draw, or a board decision) is normally specified by your bylaws.

Turnout

The share of eligible voters who actually cast a ballot. Higher turnout gives results greater legitimacy, and online voting typically increases it.

Voter Key

A private code that lets one person vote once. In ElectionChamp each key is 16 letters and digits and arrives in a personal voting link by email or text, or on paper from the organizer.

Voter Roll (Voter List)

The official list of who is eligible to vote in a given election. Each eligible voter is usually issued a unique, single-use voter key.

Weighted Voting

A system where different voters cast a different number of votes, for example 1, 2 or 5, typically based on shares, units or ownership. In ElectionChamp, turn on Weighted ballots on the Start step and give each voter a whole-number weight on the Voters step. Results show weighted totals.

Write-in Candidate

A candidate who is not pre-listed on the ballot but is named by the voter, where write-ins are permitted. In ElectionChamp, members write in names during a nomination question; election ballots have no write-in line.

Put It Into Practice

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