A majority voting rule in an HOA means that candidates or measures must receive more than half of the votes in order to be approved. This form of voting makes elections and other actions that require votes simple to process, but in order for outcomes to carry weight and be supported by HOA membership, voter turnout needs to be high.
This article will look at how majority voting works, how to build voter participation, and how HOA voting software can help!
Most often, majority means more than 50% of votes that are cast. This means that if an HOA has one hundred members, but only forty of them vote, the candidate or measure requires twenty-one votes to win.
This is necessary because it can be difficult for organizations to consistently conduct business if they require 100% member participation. In elections with more than two candidates, HOAs may require runoff elections if neither gets more than 50% of the vote.
Organizations looking for alternatives to majority voting can look at balancing HOA member interests with plurality voting. ‘Plurality’ means that the option with the most votes wins, even if it doesn’t have more than half the votes cast. While this can be helpful for some measures, it also makes it possible that a person can win an election without the support of the majority of voters.
Finally, some HOAs may require a supermajority (two-thirds or three-quarters of votes, for example) for certain votes.
| Voting Method | How It Works | Example Scenario | Pros | Cons |
| Majority | Candidate/measure must receive more than 50% of votes cast | 100 members, 40 vote → needs 21 votes to win | Builds legitimacy, widely accepted | May require runoff if no one gets 50%+ |
| Plurality | Candidate/measure with the most votes wins, even if under 50% | 100 members, 3 candidates → 35% wins | Simple, no runoff needed | Winner may lack broad support |
| Supermajority | Requires a higher threshold (e.g., 2/3 or 3/4 of votes) | 100 members voting → 67 votes required | Strong support for major decisions | Harder to achieve, risk of gridlock |
The main benefit of majority elections is that they can help legitimize and build confidence in leadership and decisions. It’s easier for members to accept and support the actions of officials they voted against if they know most of their fellow members wanted that official in power.
One of the primary goals of all HOAs should be for their actions to reflect the will of their membership. Majority elections can help accomplish this, but what matters most is member participation. There are a few ways HOAs can make sure their members stay engaged, such as:
The more members that participate in an election, the more legitimate the outcome will feel to property owners.
As HOAs try to provide for their members, every step they can take to reduce work or complication improves elections. Platforms like ElectionBuddy can help do exactly this.
Our easy-to-use platform is simple for members to access and navigate, and it provides excellent security. With our help, HOAs can cement the trust of members while making it easier than ever to vote and have their voices heard!
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