Voting methods and decision-making mechanisms in the United Nations

¶ … 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 6 -- Veto Power

Veto power within the U.N. remains somewhat controversial. One prime issue concerns the meaning of concurring votes. Does this mean that the permanent five in the Security Council for the same? Does it mean only affirmative votes, what happens with abstentions? Another surrounds the issue between procedural and substantive issues. Without a strict definition, a "double veto power" is a possibility for permanent SC members. A third debate surrounds the extent in which veto power harms the Council over time. Some see veto power as a stop-gap, others a way to kill legislation through coercion and power plays. This may occur in the "reverse veto" situation, in which states have the ability to not only veto the initiative, but veto its alteration or termination as well. This makes the initial decision to act even more important because it increases the power of the permanent Council members.

Conclusions-

The issues surrounding voting at the United Nations are complex and problematical. They deal with not only procedural issues, but the very essence of the U.N.'s span of control. For instance, through most of the 20th century, the bulk of the UN's budget was paid by just 20 nations, yet voting reform was being aggressively pushed from a number of smaller nations. The ideas of veto power, influence and consensus building continue to plague debate within the U.N. As well as the public's view of the institution's effectiveness.

END NOTES

Courtney B. Smith, Politics and Process at the United Nations: The Global Dance (Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2006), 189.

Ibid, pp. 188-9.

Ibid., 208-9.

Ibid., 209-10.

Ibid, 210.

Ibid., 212-13.

Ibid., 212.

Ibid., 219.

Ibid., 220-1.

Ibid., 217.