Majority

Full age; the age at which, by law, a person is entitled to the manage- ment of his own affairs and to the enjoyment of civic rights. The opposite of minority. Also the status of a person who is a major in age. In the law of elections, majority signifies the greater number of votes. When there are only two candidates, he who receives the greater number of the votes cast is said to have a majority; when there are more than two competitors for the same office, the person who receives the greatest number of votes has a plurality, but he has not a majority unless he receives a greater number of votes than those cast for all his competitors combined. In military affairs, majority denotes the rank and commission of a major. Majus dignnm trahit ad se minus dignum. The more worthy draws to itself the less worthy. Co. Litt. 43, 355b; Bract fol. 175; Noy, Max. p. 6, max. 18.