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We have assembled a great deal of information about the
growing frequency and impact of victories in American primary
and general elections which are ���won��� with less than 50% of
the vote ��� meaning won by a plurality rather than a
majority of votes cast. Most American states have
had governors who have won elections with less than 50% of the
vote since 1990. In the three presidential elections since 1988,
most states awarded all of their electoral votes to a
candidate who was opposed by most voters in that state.
A significant number of congressional seats were won by mere
pluralities. Read the overview to our report.
Presidential
Elections
Gubernatorial
Elections
,
1990-2003 - A
comprehensive list of gubernatorial candidates who won
primary and/or general elections by plurality
US
Governors, 1948-2003 - Three groupings of governors
elected in general elections with less than 50%
Current Governors - 22 currently serving governors who won either a primary or
general election with less than 50% of Votes
Congressional
Elections
Related Links:
Washington Post columnist Richard
Morin���s October 2000
column
on CVD's analysis of plurality
victory issues.
The Center for Voting and Democracy's 1995 report, The
End of Majority Rule?
The Center for Voting and
Democracy's August 2000 report, Impact of U.S.
Runoff Elections on Racial Minorities and Women: An Analysis
and Comparison with Instant Runoff Voting
Instant Runoff
Voting (IRV) home
page.
Report
on Louisiana two-round
runoff system that some propose as a response to Supreme
Court decision invalidating blanket primaries in California,
Washington and
Alaska. | 
