What is a Quorum?

The minimum number of council members required to be present for the meeting to be valid and conduct official business. Quorum rules ensure that discussions and decisions therein take place with a sufficient representation of council members, preventing a small number of members from making decisions on behalf of the entire council. The council’s governing rules or bylaws usually specify the number of council members that constitute a quorum. This number is often calculated as a fraction or percentage. For example, a quorum might be set at “one-third of the total membership” or a “majority of the members.”
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