First-past-the-post

Definition

First-past-the-post is an electoral system where the candidate who receives more votes than any other candidates wins, without needing a majority of the votes. It is commonly used in single-member districts as part of legislative elections.

Related terms

Plurality System: An electoral system in which candidates can be elected with less than half of the vote as long as they have more votes than other candidates.

Single: member district - A constituency or electoral district that returns one officeholder to a body with multiple members such as a legislature.

Majority system: An electoral system that requires a candidate to receive more than half of all votes cast in order to win