Back to topics

How can the candidate with more votes still lose?

Imagine three districts with 100 voters each and one winner-take-all seat per district. Candidate A wins 51 votes in two districts and none in the third: two seats from 102 votes. Candidate B receives 198 votes but only one seat. The arithmetic is consistent because the rule counts district victories, not the largest combined vote total.

3–7 min

Questions you could explore

  • How does the result change if all 300 votes instead choose a single winner directly?
  • How can winning several smaller districts produce a different result from winning the most votes overall?

Start reading

Ready to try your ideas aloud?

Your topic carries over. Record up to 2½ minutes, depending on your plan.

Politics and society

Why are some constitutions so much harder to change than others?

A constitution is meant to outlast the government of the day, yet it also needs a way to adapt when society changes. Some countries require supermajorities in parliament, others demand a national referendum, and a few make certain clauses completely unamendable. Designing an amendment rule means balancing stability against the risk of locking future generations into the past.

4–6 min

Why are some constitutions so much harder to change than others?

Politics and society4–6 minA constitution is meant to outlast the government of the day, yet it also needs a way to adapt when society changes. Some countries require supermajorities in parliament, others demand a national referendum, and a few make certain clauses completely unamendable. Designing an amendment rule means balancing stability against the risk of locking future generations into the past.

Politics and society

How ranked-choice voting turns second choices into winners

Ranked ballots can transfer when a candidate is eliminated; some proportional systems also transfer surplus votes after a candidate is elected. A ranking can therefore matter beyond the first choice. Explore how different counting rules use those preferences, rather than assuming every ranked-choice system follows the same procedure.

5–7 min

How ranked-choice voting turns second choices into winners

Politics and society5–7 minRanked ballots can transfer when a candidate is eliminated; some proportional systems also transfer surplus votes after a candidate is elected. A ranking can therefore matter beyond the first choice. Explore how different counting rules use those preferences, rather than assuming every ranked-choice system follows the same procedure.

Politics and society

How do you select a citizens’ assembly without holding an election?

How could a group of ordinary citizens broadly reflect a country without running for office? Citizens' assemblies can use civic lotteries, or sortition, to invite randomly selected people and then select from volunteers against demographic criteria. The result aims for a cross-section of the population rather than an elected chamber or an unrestricted sign-up list.

4–5 min

How do you select a citizens’ assembly without holding an election?

Politics and society4–5 minHow could a group of ordinary citizens broadly reflect a country without running for office? Citizens' assemblies can use civic lotteries, or sortition, to invite randomly selected people and then select from volunteers against demographic criteria. The result aims for a cross-section of the population rather than an elected chamber or an unrestricted sign-up list.

How can the candidate with more votes still lose? | Speech Topic | speaking.app