What is a casting vote?

A casting vote is a vote used by a presiding officer, such as a chairperson or speaker, to break a tie in a decision-making process. When votes are equally divided, the casting vote allows the presiding officer to choose which side prevails. This power is typically exercised in legislative bodies or meetings to ensure that decisions can be made and proceedings can continue. The casting vote is usually not used to influence the outcome in a particular direction but is often exercised based on established rules or principles.