What do you call a vote against the adoption of the motion?

• A. Positive vote
• B. Negative vote
• C. Affirmative vote
• D. Abstention

Answer: (B)

When a motion is up for adoption, members express support, opposition, or choose not to vote at all. The term for expressing opposition is a negative vote. It shows you are against adopting the motion and counts toward defeating it under the body’s rules. The opposite of that is an affirmative or positive vote, which shows support for adoption. An abstention means you’re choosing not to vote, which doesn’t indicate support or opposition and can affect the outcome by reducing the total votes cast.