Legal Definitions - wasted vote

A wasted vote refers to a ballot cast in an election or referendum that ultimately does not contribute to the election of a candidate or the successful passage of a ballot measure. This can occur for several reasons, such as voting for a candidate who has no realistic chance of winning, for a candidate who is later disqualified, or for a ballot initiative that fails by a significant margin.

• Example 1: Voting for a Candidate with No Realistic Chance of Winning

  Imagine a national election in a district where two major parties dominate, and a third-party candidate consistently polls at less than 5%. A voter, strongly aligned with the third-party's ideals, casts their ballot for this candidate. Despite their conviction, the third-party candidate finishes far behind the two front-runners and does not win the seat.

  This illustrates a wasted vote because the voter's choice did not contribute to electing a representative, as their preferred candidate had no viable path to victory. The vote, while counted, had no impact on the election's outcome in terms of securing a win for that specific candidate.

• Example 2: Voting for a Disqualified Candidate

  In a local mayoral race, a voter casts their ballot for Candidate X. After the election results are tallied and Candidate X is declared the winner, it is discovered that Candidate X did not meet the residency requirements for the office, leading to their disqualification and the nullification of their victory. A new election or appointment process then takes place.

  This is an example of a wasted vote because the vote cast for Candidate X ultimately became invalid due to the candidate's ineligibility. Despite the voter's intent, their ballot did not result in their chosen candidate holding office.

• Example 3: Voting for an Overwhelmingly Defeated Ballot Initiative

  A community holds a referendum on a controversial proposal to fund a new public park through a significant tax increase. A voter strongly supports the park and votes "Yes" on the measure. However, the initiative faces widespread public opposition and is overwhelmingly defeated, with over 80% of voters casting "No" ballots.

  This demonstrates a wasted vote because, despite the voter's support, their individual "Yes" vote did not contribute to the successful passage of the ballot initiative. The measure failed by such a large margin that the voter's preference had no impact on the final outcome.