Majority Vote in AP Comparative Government and Politics

Definition

A majority vote refers to a voting system where the option with more than half of the votes wins. It is when one choice receives more votes than all other options combined.

Related terms

Plurality of Votes Cast: Plurality of votes cast means that the option with the most votes, even if it doesn't have more than half, wins. It's like winning a race by having the highest number of votes among all candidates, regardless of whether it's a majority or not.

National Mandate: A national mandate refers to when an elected official claims they have been given authority by voters to carry out certain policies or actions. It's like being elected as class president and using that victory as justification for implementing changes in school policies.

Runoff Election: A runoff election occurs when no candidate receives a majority vote in the initial election. The top two candidates then face each other in another round of voting to determine the winner. It's like having a second chance at choosing between two movies after none received more than half of the initial votes.