How many votes are needed for a bill to pass the House of Representatives and the Senate?

Interesting question Liliana. There isn’t a fixed number of votes required to pass a bill – a proposed law. A majority vote is needed for a bill to pass both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Not all senators or members need to be present for the vote. The bill is passed if more than half of those present vote for it.

However, a bill to change the Constitution – the rulebook of our nation – can only be passed by an absolute majority. This means a majority of the total number of senators or members of the House, not just those present.

In both houses, there are two different kinds of votes that are used to decide if a bill has passed:

• A vote on the voices is held first. The President of the Senate or Speaker of the House of Representatives asks members of parliament to cast their vote for or against the bill by saying 'aye' or 'no'. The President or Speaker decides which response has more support and announces the result.
• A division – a formal counted vote – may happen next. If the result is challenged by more than one member of parliament, a division is held.

For a division to be valid, a minimum number of members must be present for it. This is called 'quorum' and it is the minimum number of members required for the Senate and House to meet:

• In the Senate, at least 19 senators (one quarter of the total number of senators) must vote in a division for it to count. If 19 senators are not present for a division, the President of the Senate can adjourn – suspend – the Senate until the next sitting day. This gives senators a chance to form a quorum, so the division can be held again. 
• In the House, 30 members must be present (one fifth of the total number of members). The Speaker can adjourn the House until quorum can be formed.