When it is proposed to put a matter to the vote, a member of
the Assembly may feel that there are additional facts or views which must be
sought before he can make up his mind and intelligently vote on the proposition.
He should express this feeling to the Assembly, and it is for the Assembly to
decide whether or not further consultation is needed before voting.
Whenever it is decided to vote on a proposition all that is
required is to ascertain how many of the members are in favour of it; if this
is a majority of those present, the motion is carried; if it is a minority, the
motion is defeated. Thus the whole question of "abstaining" does not
arise in Bahá'í voting. A member who does not vote in favour of a proposition
is, in effect, voting against it, even if at that moment he himself feels that
he has been unable to make up his mind on the matter.
- The Universal House of Justice (From a letter dated 6
March 1970 to the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada; The Compilation of
Compilations, vol. I, Consultation)
