Final answer:
To find the total number of people who voted in the election, set up a proportion and solve for x. The total number of people who voted in the election is 6500.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the total number of people who voted in the election, we can use the information that Mark Benton received 780 votes for 12% of the total vote. Let's assume the total number of votes is represented by the variable x.
We can set up a proportion to solve for x:
780 / x = 12 / 100
To solve for x, we can cross-multiply and then divide:
780 * 100 = 12 * x
x = (780 * 100) / 12 = 6500
So, the total number of people who voted in the election is 6500.