UN voting records and later changes of position

How the General Assembly votes

Rule 87 says the Assembly normally votes by show of hands or by standing, and any representative may request a roll-call ¹. Each member answers yes, no or abstention, and the result is inserted in the record in English alphabetical order ¹. When the Assembly votes by mechanical means, a recorded vote replaces a roll-call, and any representative may request one ¹.

Rule 86 defines members present and voting as members casting an affirmative or negative vote ¹. Members that abstain are considered as not voting ¹. Decisions on important questions need a two-thirds majority of members present and voting, and other questions a simple majority ¹.

Explanations of vote

Rule 88 lets the President permit members to explain their votes before or after the voting, except in a secret ballot ¹. Once voting has begun, no representative may interrupt it except on a point of order about the conduct of the voting ¹. An explanation of vote is the place where a state records why it voted as it did.

Later notices about how a state meant to vote

The Dag Hammarskjöld Library says a voting chart has been published in the Index to Proceedings of the General Assembly since 1975 ². Between the 30th session in 1975 and the 37th session in 1982, the chart drew on meeting records and so included notices states submitted later ². From 1982 onward the chart is based on data from the voting machine and no longer includes those notices ².

Reconsidering a decision

Rule 81 says that when a proposal has been adopted or rejected, it may not be reconsidered at the same session, except where the Assembly decides so by a two-thirds majority of members present and voting ¹. Only two speakers opposing the motion to reconsider may speak before the vote ¹.

Security Council votes

Article 27 of the UN Charter gives each Council member one vote ⁴. Procedural decisions need nine affirmative votes ⁴. Other decisions need nine affirmative votes including the concurring votes of the permanent members ⁴. A party to a dispute shall abstain from voting on decisions under Chapter VI and Article 52(3) ⁴.

The Library's Security Council guide says official voting information is in the meeting record and the annual cumulations of resolutions ³. A draft vetoed by a permanent member is announced as not adopted owing to the negative vote of a permanent member, as in S/PV.7498 ³. Since 1976 a voting chart in the Index to Proceedings of the Security Council gives an overview of the year's votes ³.

Resolution 76/262, adopted without a vote on 26 April 2022, requires the President of the General Assembly to convene a formal meeting within 10 working days of a veto ⁵. It invites the Council to submit a special report on the veto at least 72 hours before the Assembly's discussion ⁵.