What does the term "simple majority" refer to in a voting process?

The term "simple majority" refers to the concept of obtaining more votes than any other option in a voting process. In general, this means that a proposal or candidate must receive more than half of the votes cast to be considered successful. This definition aligns most closely with the idea of a majority of the total votes, which translates to a specific number necessary for a decision, rather than requiring a higher threshold like a supermajority or a consensus among all voters.

A show of hands can sometimes be used in informal voting situations or to gauge initial support, but it does not encompass the formal definition of a simple majority in most structured voting scenarios. The effective understanding of a simple majority emphasizes that one option must simply have the highest number of votes, distinguishing it from concepts like consensus where everyone must agree or equal distribution where votes are shared. Additionally, while electoral processes may involve majority decisions, the term itself specifically references the voting count rather than other voting methods or arrangements.