What is the definition of a majority in voting terms?

In voting terms, a majority is defined as more than half of the total votes cast. This means that if there are 100 votes, a candidate or option needs to receive at least 51 votes to secure a majority. This concept is fundamental to democratic processes, as it establishes a clear winning criterion that reflects the preference of most voters. The emphasis on "more than half" is critical because it ensures that the decision or election result has the backing of the larger fraction of the voting body.

The other options do not accurately capture the definition of a majority in this context. A specific percentage of voter turnout does not pertain to the majority of votes cast; it instead refers to the participation rate of eligible voters. A simple mathematical average does not apply to voting since it would consider all votes equally without regard to those needed to achieve a winning status. The largest single vote total might represent a plurality but does not guarantee that the winning choice has the support of more than half of the voters; it simply indicates that one option received more votes than any other without meeting the majority requirement.