A quorum refers to the minimum number of members of a group or organization that must be present for official business to be carried out. The minimum number is usually set by the organizations bylaws. According to Roberts Rules of Order, the quorum definition is the minimum number of voting members who must be present at a properly called meeting to conduct business in the groups name. The definition of a quorum is vague and was developed to accommodate the diversity of organizations that use parliamentary procedure.
The quorum can be defined in different ways depending on the organization. For example, a quorum of a public body is defined as a simple majority of the members of that body, unless otherwise provided in a general or special law, executive order, or other authorizing provision. In a nonprofit board meeting, quorums may be set at half of the current number of board members or half plus one member, with certain votes requiring a two-thirds majority.
In general, a quorum is the minimum acceptable level of individuals with a vested interest in a company needed to make the proceedings of a meeting valid under the corporate charter. The quorum normally consists of a group that is considered as large as possible to be depended on to attend all corporate meetings, which is a qualitative assessment. The plural of a quorum is "quora".
