Glossary
What does “Abstain” mean?
To choose not to vote for or against a motion, though entitled to vote.
What it means
To choose not to vote for or against a motion, though entitled to vote. Abstentions are usually recorded but often not counted in the result, depending on the voting rule.
An example
Nine members vote: five for, three against, one abstains. If the rule is a majority of votes cast, the motion passes five to three.
Not to be confused with: Voting against
An abstention is not a no; under a “majority of votes cast” rule it does not count either way, but under a “majority of members present” rule it can have the effect of a no.
Where you will see it
In board, committee and council votes, minutes recording vote counts, and conflict-of-interest situations, where members often abstain.
Questions
Why would someone abstain?
A conflict of interest, not enough information, or not wanting to influence the result.
Do abstentions count in a vote?
It depends on the rule: they do not count under “majority of votes cast”, but can work like a no under “majority of those present”.
Should the minutes record who abstained?
Many organisations record only the totals; some record names, especially for declared conflicts of interest. Follow your own rules and practice.
Other meeting words
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