If a candidate wins an election with an absolute majority, how much of the votes did he or she receive?
A)50% of all votes cast in that race
B)More than 50% of all votes cast in that race
C)The largest share of votes between all the candidates in that race
D)At least 66% of all votes cast in that race

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

An absolute majority is when a candidate receives more than 50% of all votes cast in that race. In a race with three or more candidates, it is possible for the winning candidate to receive less than 50% of the votes and still be the winner. The 42-41-17% split between Clinton, Bush, and Perot, respectively, in the 1992 presidential race is a classic example. Clinton's share was the largest, but it was not an absolute majority since 58% of the people did not vote for him. An absolute majority is one in which the winning candidate or issue receives the majority of all votes cast, which is one more than 50%.

If a Candidate Wins an Election with an Absolute Majority