# Question Regarding Veto Override
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-regarding-veto-override/721077
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [May 28, 2015, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-regarding-veto-override/721077 "2015-05-28T22:25:33Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@bananamber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bananamber)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2015, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-regarding-veto-override/721077/1 "2015-05-28T22:25:33Z")
Say a governor vetoes a bill and to override the veto both chambers must gain 3/5s of the vote. Say the House votes 83-53 with 1 abstaining and 4 absent. Simply, does that 3/5s mean the entire chamber or just the ones who actually vote yea/nea? Are the abstainers and absent voters included in that supermajority? Would the House need 85 votes or 82 votes if 1 abstains and 4 are absent?
Thanks!
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### Author:  [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2015, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-regarding-veto-override/721077/2 "2015-05-28T22:41:35Z")
This would depend on exactly what rules were embedded the the state’s constitution.
You can have an unqualified or simple vote in which 60% of those voting yes or no must vote yes (absents and abstains do not count except the latter count for having a quorum present).
An absolute vote requires 60% of the members so absent and abstain count no on the override.
You also hear phrases like 3/5 of those present and voting (which would count abstains as not to override but not count absent).
I believe all states use the simple vote as does the federal government, but I don’t have a cite for that.
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### Author:  [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2015, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-regarding-veto-override/721077/3 "2015-05-28T22:51:17Z")
It’s up to each state to decide. [This sideways table](http://www.nga.org/files/live/sites/NGA/files/pdf/BOSTable3.16.pdf) (PDF) shows the rules for each state. It looks like most states use the whole chamber but a few do only count the members who are present. (A few also allow a simple majority to override a veto.)
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### Author:  [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2015, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-regarding-veto-override/721077/4 "2015-05-29T00:46:04Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#):
>
> It’s up to each state to decide. [This sideways table](http://www.nga.org/files/live/sites/NGA/files/pdf/BOSTable3.16.pdf) (PDF) shows the rules for each state. It looks like most states use the whole chamber but a few do only count the members who are present. (A few also allow a simple majority to override a veto.)
I was especially interested in Nebraska whose one-house legislature overrode by 30-19 the bill abolishing the death penalty. The chart showed that Nebraska requires 3/5 of all elected members to override, so Nebraska cannot have more than 50 legislators.
Incidentally, on a Windows computer you can turn the chart right-side up by pressing Ctl-Alt-arrow key (I forget which one, right or left depending on which way it is facing). I just learned it from another doper a couple weeks ago. First time I used it, except to test.
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### Author:  [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2015, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-regarding-veto-override/721077/5 "2015-05-29T02:36:47Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#):
>
> I was especially interested in Nebraska whose one-house legislature overrode by 30-19 the bill abolishing the death penalty. The chart showed that Nebraska requires 3/5 of all elected members to override, so Nebraska cannot have more than 50 legislators.
The Nebraska legislature has[exactly 49 members.](http://nebraskalegislature.gov/senators/senator_list.php?sort_by=District)