What does a "voice vote" determine?

A "voice vote" is a method used in parliamentary procedure to determine the outcome of a motion by asking members to express their opinions vocally. Members call out "aye" or "no" in response to the question posed, and the presiding officer listens to the volume of the responses to judge which side has the greater support. The primary goal of a voice vote is to quickly ascertain whether there is enough consensus to carry the motion without the need for a more formal vote, such as a roll call or paper ballot.

This method is efficient for decisions that are not controversial or where the outcome is clearly understood by the members. In contrast, it does not provide a tally of how many members are present, nor does it dictate the time for discussion or the order of agenda items, making it a straightforward tool focused solely on gauging support for a specific motion.