Board governance glossary
Definition
What is Quorum?
Quorum is the minimum number of eligible board members or association members who must be present for a meeting to conduct official business.
What it means in practice
The required number is usually set by statute, bylaws, or other governing documents. Quorum is different from the number of votes needed to approve a motion: first the meeting must have quorum, then the applicable voting threshold determines whether an action passes.
Attendance should be checked when the meeting opens and monitored if participants leave. Actions taken after quorum is lost may be invalid or subject to challenge.
Key points for boards
- Check the governing documents for the exact quorum calculation.
- Distinguish quorum from majority or supermajority voting thresholds.
- Record attendance and the presence of quorum in the minutes.
- Stop official business if departures cause quorum to be lost.