• pyre@lemmy.world
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    14 days ago

    “person may lose the election by getting the most votes” is this even a thing outside the US?

    i know winning without a majority vote is a thing in multiparty systems where the winner will have plurality instead… but having the majority vote and losing is just fucking insane to me.

    • Viper_NZ@lemmy.nz
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      14 days ago

      Unfortunately yes, it’s huge problem with first past the post systems.

      • pyre@lemmy.world
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        14 days ago

        how?

        i was talking about electoral college. never heard a party receiving a majority vote losing in the first past the post system.

        • Viper_NZ@lemmy.nz
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          13 days ago

          A good example is the 1981 election in New Zealand, where the Labour Party won more votes but the National Party won more seats and formed the government.

    • floofloof@lemmy.caOP
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      13 days ago

      Whether it’s possible for a party to win a majority of votes but lose an election, in a first-past-the-post system, will depend on the how the electoral districts are drawn, the voter turnout in each district, and the geographical distribution of the majority. The system itself does allow this to happen.

      • pyre@lemmy.world
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        13 days ago

        i was talking about general elections. usually the popular vote determines it, no matter where the votes come from. you’re still talking about electoral college, not fptp.