Supermajority Votes in the House (CRS Report for Congress)
| Release Date |
Revised Feb. 3, 2023 |
| Report Number |
98-778 |
| Authors |
Jane A. Hudiburg |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
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Summary:
The principle of majority rule dominates the work of the House of Representatives. This means
that most questions are decided by vote of a simple majority, assuming the presence of a quorum.
For instance, if all 435 lawmakers vote, the winning margin is at least 218—one more than half
the membership of the House. In cases of a tie vote, House Rule XX, clause 1(c), states that “a
question shall be lost.”
Some supermajority votes, however, are explicitly specified in the Constitution. They are also
created by authority granted in Article I, Section 5, which says, “Each chamber may determine
the Rules of Its Proceedings.” Under this affirmative constitutional power, the House may adopt a
number of additional supermajority (sometimes called “extraordinary majority”) requirements.
