In impeachment proceedings, what vote is required in the Senate to convict and remove?

In impeachment proceedings, what vote is required in the Senate to convict and remove?

• A. Majority of the Senate
• B. Two-thirds of the Senate
• C. Three-fifths of the Senate
• D. Unanimous consent of both houses

Answer: (B)

Impeachment trials require a supermajority vote in the Senate to convict and remove. The Constitution sets that judgment in impeachment cases as requiring the concurrence of two-thirds of the Senators present. This ensures removal happens only with broad support, not a simple majority. In practice, with a full Senate, that means at least 67 votes are needed to convict. The trial is conducted by the Senate (with the Vice President as presiding officer, except in presidential impeachments where the Chief Justice presides), and removal follows only if this two-thirds threshold is met. The other thresholds—simple majority, 60%, or unanimous consent of both houses—do not apply to conviction and removal in impeachment.

Impeachment trials require a supermajority vote in the Senate to convict and remove. The Constitution sets that judgment in impeachment cases as requiring the concurrence of two-thirds of the Senators present. This ensures removal happens only with broad support, not a simple majority. In practice, with a full Senate, that means at least 67 votes are needed to convict. The trial is conducted by the Senate (with the Vice President as presiding officer, except in presidential impeachments where the Chief Justice presides), and removal follows only if this two-thirds threshold is met. The other thresholds—simple majority, 60%, or unanimous consent of both houses—do not apply to conviction and removal in impeachment.