A parliamentary vote is an official, recorded, and binding decision by members of a deliberative assembly (body that uses parliamentary procedure) to take action on a matter. A parliamentary vote is usually the result of a motion, which is a formal proposal by an assembly member that the group take certain action. Several methods of voting are used in these groups, including voice votes, rising votes, and show of hands.
Parliamentary democracy is the form of government currently used by many countries. It is a type of democratic system that provides for direct popular representation through an elected legislature. In some cases, the legislature is a national parliament, but the system also can be applied to regional or local governments in other nations.
The legislature may be organized on a territorial or functional basis, although systems that employ proportional means for allocating seats are usually based on territory. The majority of parliaments follow the Westminster model, which originated in England and is still used by some British Commonwealth members and countries influenced by the English political tradition, such as Canada, India, and Australia.
At a general election, voters select a candidate to represent them in parliament. The candidates are typically from one of the main political parties, though independents and other minor party candidates may be elected as well. Often, the electoral system is a plurality or first-past-the-post method, although other methods, such as single transferable vote and multimember districts, are used as well.