Final answer:
Majority in election context means the candidate must receive over 50 percent of votes. If no one achieves this, a run-off is held between the top candidates. This is opposed to plurality where the highest vote-getter wins, even if it's less than 50 percent.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the context of an election, the term majority means that the winning candidate must receive more than 50 percent of the total votes cast. This is different from a plurality, where the winning candidate just needs to have more votes than any other candidate, which can be less than 50 percent. In some states, majority rule applies, and if no candidate achieves this majority, a run-off election is required between the top two candidates. This ensures that the eventual winner has the support of a majority of the voters.
Notably, majority elections are common at the local level, while plurality elections are more prevalent at the state and national levels. States like Georgia are examples where a candidate for statewide office must win at least 50 percent of the vote. If this threshold is not met, a run-off election is held to determine the winner. This contrasts with the winner-take-all system, like that used in most U.S. presidential elections, which operates on the plurality voting principle.