UN voting and decision-making processes

¶ … United Nations was conceived, the idea was that the organization would operate to prevent conflicts, make peacekeeping agreements, help build and modernize nations, and act as a voice for human rights and opportunities in the global arena. To do this, the United Nations, like other international organizations, must undertake a variety of functions. Unlike other international organizations, however, the primary mechanism that the U.N. uses to carry out its mission is through decisions made within the various organs of the organization.

A might be expected, though, organizations like the United Nations vote and decide on a number of issues of varying importance, urgency and impact. Instead of looking at decisions based on an external paradigm of importance, scholars agree that it is more useful to differentiate the decision-making process on the nature of the issue. In this way, one can more easily note alliances, boundaries, overt and covert philosophical issues, and even normative commonalities between members.

Part 1 -- Methods of Voting

Majority voting, as opposed to unanimity, is the primary voting model for both procedural and substantive issues at the United Nations. Quorum requirements for UN meetings are not usually enforced, but quorum requirements for voting are quite strictly observed, particularly in the case of the General Assembly. In the General Assembly, for instance, Rule 67 specifies that a debate may proceed with at least 1/3 of the member's present, but 2/3 majority on important issues (national security, election of top members, etc.). "Once voting begins, there are essentially three common methods that can be used: a show of hands or nonrecorded vote, a roll-call or recorded vote, and a secret ballot."

Show of hands is used on procedural motions and some substantive votes. This method is quick, efficient, but makes it difficult to differentiate different states' preferences. Roll-call voting avoids the lack of specificity of show of hands, but takes longer because the chair must go member by member in alphabetical order to ask "yes, no or abstain." Roll-call voting is attractive when sponsors expect a close vote because it supplies a record of who voted how. Secret-ballot voting is used for the elections of individuals or member states to specific positions, but may be waived by general agreement.

Part 2 -- Voting Requests

The complexity of issues and evolution of the political process in the United Nations has resulted in a number of subtleties in voting. For instance, a request for separate votes (different votes for different sections of a proposal) may come from any member state, usually honored unless an objection is made. Similarly a "request for an explanation of vote can also be made by any member of the body, usually subject to the approval of the presiding officer," and are almost always permitted.

Part 3 -- Majority Voting

Again, due to the complexity of issues often at stake, the United Nations uses two different decision models that govern the support of a motion or proposal. The first, majority rule is often used when members prefer confrontation rather than the time and effort to build consensus. The second, building consensus, require that all members support or "acquiesce" to the proposal. A simple majority in the General Assembly requires more yes votes than no votes (50% or more). The "present and voting" requirement means that the states must attend the meeting to vote; abstentions and those not present do not count towards a quorum or vote. The category of "important questions" requires a qualified majority in the General Assembly, since these issues are considered to be of international importance and rarely, if ever, include procedural issues. In the General Assembly, a 2/3 majority is required for important questions.

Part 4 -- Types of Voting

In the case of issues dealing with international peace and security, election of non-permanent members of the Security Council, or members of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) require a 2/3 majority of U.N. members. For the approval of a judge candidate for the International Court of Justice or a Charter amendment, a 2/3 majority of U.N. members is required, not just those that are present and voting.

Part 5- Consensus Decision-Making

When referring to the United Nations, consensus refers to a method of negotiation and a method of decision making. Under the rubric of U.N. voting, consensus means that the voting body will have reached at least an agreement with all members that the issue will move forward or die -- that a reasonable level of agreement is in place, even if all members are not 100% for or 100% against. Unanimity and majority rule are different than consensus in that unanimity indicates that all members actively support the measure and a majority that 51.1% indicates pro-or con. Consensus simply means that there is no clear majority, nor is there 100% agreement to fully support the measure, but there is a compromise position allowing the issue to be decided because all voting members agree "enough" on the issue. Any objections on the voting member disallows consensus. Particularly since the 1960s, consensus decision making has taken on a greater role because of the "disconnect between voting power… and the realities of material power."

Consensus decision making addresses this problem because it necessitates cooperation between developing nations that may vote and the developed nations that have more material power. Without the support of the developing nations, there is little hope of passing or enforcing controversial resolutions. Three criticisms of this methodology include: 1) subjective nature of consensus terminology; 2) ambivalence and less inclusion of some states in the process; and, 3) whether consensus refutes voting since it can sometimes be used to adopt resolutions. Still, consensus allows for protracted negotiations, the public appearance of a body working through its differences for the greater good, and a way to privately make difficult policy changes.

Part 6 -- Veto Power