What is a runoff election?

A runoff election is a second round of voting held when no candidate in an initial election manages to secure the required threshold of votes to win outright. Here’s a brief explanation of runoff elections:

• Purpose: To ensure the winning candidate has a clear majority of support.
• Trigger: Typically occurs when no candidate receives more than 50% of the votes in the first round.
• Participants: This usually involves the top two candidates from the first round.
• Timing: Held after the initial election, often a few weeks later.
• Outcome: The candidate with the most votes in the runoff wins, regardless of whether they achieve a majority.
• Common usage: Used in many countries for presidential elections and in some U.S. states for various offices.
• Advantages: Can prevent a candidate from winning with only a small plurality of votes.
• Disadvantages: This can lead to lower voter turnout and increased election costs.

Runoff elections aim to provide a clearer mandate for the winning candidate and ensure broader support from the electorate. They’re particularly useful in multi-candidate races where the vote might otherwise be split among several options.

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