Plurality voting system, also known as first-past-the-post, is a voting system in which the candidate who receives the greatest number of votes is declared the winner, even if that number is less than a majority This system essentially counts votes and elects the person with the most, regardless of the proportion of votes, making it the simplest and the most widely used electoral system.
In a plurality voting system, the candidate that receives the most votes wins, regardless of the size of their majority. This can lead to a situation where a candidate is declared the winner with a significant minority of the votes because the remaining votes are divided among a greater number of contenders. This can result in the election of an undesired outcome by the majority of voters, leading to perverse voting incentives and a lack of representative democracy.
Despite its flaws, plurality voting system remains popular, as it is easy to understand, implement, and take results from. It is currently used in many countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, India, and Israel, among many others. The following are five examples of how it is employed in the world:
1. United Kingdom: The United Kingdom employs a plurality voting system for both its parliamentary and local elections. To win, a candidate must receive more votes than all other candidates, but they do not need to receive majority support. This system has been in use since 1825 and led to a two party government in the UK.
2. United States: The United States also uses a plurality voting system for all national, state, and local elections. The candidate who receives the most votes wins, even if they only have a minority. This system has been used in the United States since its founding in 1787.
3. India: India too uses a plurality voting system for all national, state, and local elections. The country has employed this system since Independence in 1947 and it has often been criticized for promoting a two-party system in the country.
4. Canada: Canada uses a variation of the plurality voting system known as the alternative vote. In this system, the voter ranks their preferences and the candidates must pass a certain threshold to be elected. This system has been in use since Confederation in 1867.
5. Israel: Israel also employs a plurality voting system in its national elections. This system has been used since the country was founded in 1948 and has resulted in the election of coalition governments led by the Likud party since 1977.
Overall, plurality voting system is a simple and commonly used voting system in which the candidate that receives the greatest number of votes is declared the winner, regardless of the proportion of votes. Despite its flaws, it is still a popular way to elect representatives and is used in many countries around the world, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, India, and Israel, among many others.