Majority rule is the principle that the group that has the most supporters gets its way. A majority is more than half of the voters involved, and rule by such a majority is thought to be to the benefit of more than rule by less than half would be. It is the binary decision rule most often used in decision-making bodies, including many legislatures of democratic nations. Where no one party wins a majority of the seats in a legislature, the majority of legislators that wields power is paretly composed of members of other parties in support.

Where only two candidates are competing for a single seat, one or the other will take a majority of valid votes. But in other situations, other measures are used to determine the winner.

Where multiple members are elected in a district as may happen under Proportional representation, each successful candidate may not have support of a majority of votes involved but the combined vote tallies of the successful candidates is a majority of valid votes. And as such are thought to represent the will of more voters than candidates supported by just a minority of the voters.