What is required for a candidate to win by majority vote?

To win by majority vote, a candidate must secure more than 50% of the total votes cast in an election. This means that a candidate needs to have a total number of votes that exceeds half of the total votes, ensuring that they have the support of the majority of voters.

In contrast, simply receiving the most votes does not guarantee a majority. A candidate could win by having more votes than any other candidate, but if that number is less than 50% of the total votes, it would not be a majority win. This concept of winning by the most votes is known as a plurality, which differs from a majority. Additionally, while tie-breaking mechanisms may be utilized when two or more candidates receive an equal number of votes, they are not involved in determining the requirement for a majority win. Thus, the requirement for winning by a majority is distinctly defined as obtaining more than 50% of the total votes.