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UN Voting

Voting in the General Assembly

Article 18 of the UN Charter, and rules 82-95 of the Rules of Procedure, concern voting in the General Assembly.

An analysis of General Assembly voting can be found in the Repertory of Practice of UN Organs by consulting the section relating to Article 18.  

The majority of General Assembly resolutions are adopted without a vote.

If a vote is taken, it can be documented in two ways:

  • Recorded vote
    • Must be requested before the voting is conducted
    • Clearly identifies each Member State's position
  • Summary of the vote result
    • Provides the number of votes for, against, abstaining, and non-voting
    • Does not identify position of individual Member States

Voting in General Assembly Main Committees

Committee voting information can be found in the meeting records of the Committees as well as in the reports which the Committees submit to the plenary on each agenda item allocated to them. See UN Documentation: General Assembly: Main Committees research guide for additional information.

Sources for General Assembly Voting Information

There are multiple sources to find General Assembly voting information, including:

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