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Simple English definitions for legal terms
runoff election
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A quick definition of runoff election:
A runoff election is a special type of election that happens when no candidate gets more than half of the votes in a regular election. The two candidates who got the most votes in the regular election then compete against each other in the runoff election to determine the winner. It's like a second chance for the top candidates to win.A more thorough explanation:
A runoff election is an election held after a general election, in which the two candidates who received the most votes, but neither received a majority, run against each other so that the winner can be determined.
- In a mayoral election, Candidate A received 45% of the votes, Candidate B received 40%, and Candidate C received 15%. Since no candidate received a majority, a runoff election was held between Candidate A and Candidate B to determine the winner.
- In a school board election, there were five candidates running for one seat. Candidate A received 35% of the votes, Candidate B received 30%, Candidate C received 20%, Candidate D received 10%, and Candidate E received 5%. Since no candidate received a majority, a runoff election was held between Candidate A and Candidate B to determine the winner.
These examples illustrate how a runoff election is used to determine a winner when no candidate receives a majority of the votes in a general election. It ensures that the winning candidate has the support of the majority of voters.