What is a “supermajority” in an election?

A supermajority in an election is when a specific percentage of votes is needed in order to pass a particular law or measure. Supermajorities are commonly seen in elections where a specific political party wants to pass a legislation and needs a special majority or percentage of the votes to do so. In the state of Pennsylvania, there is a supermajority requirement in the House of Representatives and the Senate. In the House of Representatives, it requires a two-thirds majority, or a total of 102 of the 153 representatives, in order to pass laws. Similarly, it requires a two-thirds majority in the Senate, or 26 out of the 50 state senators for bills to pass. This requirement ensures that laws that are passed are backed by a large majority and have the support of the state. Supermajority requirements give more power to certain political parties and prevent laws from easily passing, which can have major implications in an election.

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