What constitutes a simple majority for a quorum in Missouri?

A simple majority in the context of a quorum refers to the smallest number of members that must be present to conduct business. In Missouri, as in many legislative bodies, this is defined as one half of the total number of members plus one. By this standard, 50% plus one member ensures that there is more than half of the members present, which helps achieve a majority for decision-making purposes.

This method of calculating a quorum is significant because it safeguards against very close votes or deadlocks, thereby promoting decisiveness and efficiency in the legislative process. For example, if a legislative body has 100 members, a simple majority quorum would require at least 51 members present. This system is designed to ensure that the will of the majority can be expressed while still allowing for enough participation from members to make the decisions legitimate and reflective of collective agreement.