Ballotage

/ˌbæləˈtɑːʒ/ noun

Definition

A second or runoff round of voting that occurs when no candidate receives enough votes in the initial ballot; a second ballot.

Etymology

From French 'ballotage,' derived from 'ballot' (voting ball), referring to the historical practice of voting using small balls placed in urns.

Kelly Says

Many democracies use ballotage to ensure that the winning candidate has majority support—without it, a winner could take office with less than 40% of the vote.

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