Tvåround

Tvåround is the Swedish term for the two-round system, a voting method used in elections and other competitive votes. In this format an initial round is followed by a runoff if no candidate meets the required threshold in the first round. Typically, if a candidate obtains an absolute majority, they win outright; if not, the field proceeds to a second round where the winner is decided by a majority vote.

Variations exist in how many candidates advance to the runoff. The common approach is a top-two runoff between the leading candidates, but some jurisdictions allow more than two to advance or set additional thresholds for the second round. The exact rules—such as turnout requirements and how ballots are counted—vary by country and election type.

Two-round systems are used in several countries for national and local elections. France routinely employs two rounds for presidential elections and also for legislative elections under certain conditions. Brazil uses a two-round format for presidential elections, proceeding to a second round if no candidate wins a majority in the first round. Other nations and subnational jurisdictions employ similar two-round procedures in various offices, including mayoral and regional elections.

Advantages of the system include ensuring that the eventual winner has broad support beyond a plurality and reducing vote-splitting among similar candidates. Criticisms focus on higher costs, longer election cycles, potential turnout fluctuations, and the possibility that parties or voters shift to strategic voting or consolidation between rounds. The term is often described in English as the two-round system or runoff voting.