Enamussüsteemides

Enamussüsteemides, also known as majority systems, are a category of electoral systems where a candidate or party must secure a certain threshold of votes to win. This threshold is typically an absolute majority, meaning more than 50% of the total votes cast. There are several variations of majority systems, each with its own rules and implications for election outcomes.

One common type is the simple majority system, also known as first-past-the-post (FPTP). In this system, the candidate who receives the most votes wins, even if they do not achieve an absolute majority. This is widely used in countries like the United Kingdom and the United States for many of their elections. Another variation is the two-round system, also called the runoff system. If no candidate secures an absolute majority in the first round, a second round is held between the top two candidates. This ensures the eventual winner has a majority of the votes cast in the deciding round.

Another approach is the absolute majority system with a preferential ballot, such as instant-runoff voting (IRV) or ranked-choice voting. Voters rank candidates in order of preference. If no candidate has an absolute majority of first-preference votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and their votes are redistributed based on the second preferences. This process continues until one candidate achieves an absolute majority.

Majority systems are often favored for their perceived ability to produce clear winners and potentially reduce the number of parties represented in a legislature, leading to more stable governments. However, they can also lead to disproportionate results, where the distribution of seats does not accurately reflect the overall share of votes received by parties. This can be a significant drawback, especially in systems with more than two main political parties.