plurality voting

[/plʊˈræləti ˈvoʊtɪŋ/]
noun
votação por pluralidade
1. An electoral system in which the candidate or party that receives the most votes wins, regardless of whether they have achieved an absolute majority
In plurality voting, a candidate can win with 35% of the vote if their opponents split the remaining 65%
Na votação por pluralidade, um candidato pode vencer com 35% dos votos se seus oponentes dividirem os 65% restantes
2. A voting method where each voter selects one candidate and the one with the highest number of votes is elected, even without a majority
The United States uses plurality voting in most general elections
Os Estados Unidos usam votação por pluralidade na maioria das eleições gerais
Plurality voting is the dominant electoral system in the United States and United Kingdom. In Brazil, the electoral system is predominantly proportional representation with some plurality elements in local elections. The term is significant in discussions about electoral reform, as plurality voting can result in winners with less than 50% of votes, which critics argue is less representative of voter preferences.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
first-past-the-postwinner-take-all votingsimple majority voting
Antonyms / Antônimos
absolute majority votingproportional representationranked choice voting

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
votação por pluralidade
Standard terminology used in political science and electoral law discussions
Portugal
votação por pluralidade
Same terminology; Portugal primarily uses proportional representation systems
USA
plurality voting
Common system used in most American elections, particularly for presidential and congressional races

Related Words

electoral systemvoting methodmajority votingrunoff electionballot

Related Idioms & Phrases

take the most votes
win by a plurality
majority of the votes cast
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