ballotage

[/bæləˈtɑːʒ/]
nounpl: ballotages
segundo turno; votação de desempate
1. A second round of voting held when no candidate receives a majority of votes in the first round, typically between the two candidates with the most votes
The presidential election went to ballotage because neither candidate secured 50% of the vote.
A eleição presidencial foi para o segundo turno porque nenhum candidato obteve 50% dos votos.
2. In some electoral systems, the process of elimination voting where candidates are progressively removed until one achieves a required majority
The committee used ballotage to select the new board member after three rounds of voting.
O comitê usou votação de desempate para selecionar o novo membro da diretoria após três rodadas de votação.
Ballotage is particularly relevant in Brazilian presidential elections, where if no candidate achieves more than 50% of votes in the first round, a second round (segundo turno) between the top two candidates is held. This term has become deeply embedded in Brazilian electoral culture and political discourse, especially since the 1989 presidential election marked the first ballotage of the democratic period.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
runoffsecond roundsecond ballotelimination voting
Antonyms / Antônimos
first roundprimary vote

Regional Variations

General Brazilian Portuguese
segundo turno
Most common term used in Brazilian electoral context
Brazil
ballotage
French loanword sometimes used in formal political discourse
Portugal
segunda volta; escrutínio de desempate
Portuguese electoral terminology differs slightly
France
ballottage
Original French spelling and usage

Related Words

ballotelectionvotingpluralitymajorityrunoff election

Related Idioms & Phrases

go to ballotage - ir para o segundo turno
ballotage round - rodada de votação de desempate
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