what does it mean to vote present in congress

To vote "present" in Congress means that the member chooses not to vote "yes" or "no" on a bill or amendment. This type of vote does not count towards either side of the vote tally but does count towards the quorum, which is the minimum number of members required for the body to conduct business legally. Voting "present" is often used as a strategic or political tactic, such as to avoid taking a definitive stance, to express a conflict of interest, or to influence the legislative process without directly supporting or opposing the measure. It is relatively rare and can impact the outcome by affecting the number of votes needed for a majority. For example, when voting for Speaker of the House, voting present lowers the total votes cast, thus potentially lowering the number needed to win. In legislative tactics, groups have used voting present to complicate or disrupt the majority party's plans without a direct yes or no vote.