enemmistöäänestykseen

Enemmistöäänestys refers to a voting system where the candidate or option that receives more than half of the votes cast is declared the winner. This is a common electoral method used in many democratic countries for various types of elections, including presidential races, parliamentary elections, and referendums. The core principle is that a majority of voters must support the outcome for it to be valid.

There are different forms of majority voting. An absolute majority, often called a simple majority, means more than 50% of the votes cast. If no candidate achieves this in the first round, a second round of voting, known as a runoff election, may be held between the top two contenders. This ensures that the eventual winner has a clear mandate from the electorate.

Another variation is a qualified majority, which requires a higher threshold, such as two-thirds or three-quarters of the votes. This is often used for significant decisions, like constitutional amendments, where a broader consensus is deemed necessary. While straightforward, majority voting systems can sometimes lead to situations where a significant minority of voters are unrepresented by the winning candidate. The specific rules and thresholds for majority voting are determined by the electoral laws of the jurisdiction in question.