# What if there is no majority in a state? How do the electoral votes work out? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 5, 2016, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-there-is-no-majority-in-a-state-how-do-the-electoral-votes-work-out/753986 "2016-05-05T14:06:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2016, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-there-is-no-majority-in-a-state-how-do-the-electoral-votes-work-out/753986/1 "2016-05-05T14:06:05Z")
With the exceptions of Maine and Nebraska, who can split their votes. What would happen if in the presidential election, no candidate had a majority? An independent could get enough votes to prevent either the D or R candidate from the 50%+1 they need in a close race. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2016, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-there-is-no-majority-in-a-state-how-do-the-electoral-votes-work-out/753986/2 "2016-05-05T14:10:45Z")
This has happened pretty frequently, I believe, and the electoral votes go to whoever gets the largest portion of the vote. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2016, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-there-is-no-majority-in-a-state-how-do-the-electoral-votes-work-out/753986/3 "2016-05-05T14:22:23Z")
The term the OP wants is plurality voting. A candidate with a plurality has the largest number of votes, whether or not it is a majority of all votes. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2016, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-there-is-no-majority-in-a-state-how-do-the-electoral-votes-work-out/753986/4 "2016-05-05T14:45:13Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > This has happened pretty frequently, I believe, and the electoral votes go to whoever gets the largest portion of the vote. See, for example, the 1992 election between Clinton, Bush, and Perot. From a quick glance at the state data, I only see one state where anybody got a majority, and that was Arkansas for Clinton. In every other state and DC, none of the candidates got at least 50%+1. Also, remember the big hubbub in 2000 with Florida’s results? Nobody get 50%+1 there, either. All the electors went to who had the plurality of the popular vote, which ended up being Bush, with 48.84% of the vote. ---
**Author:** ![DerekMichaels00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@DerekMichaels00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DerekMichaels00)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2016, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-there-is-no-majority-in-a-state-how-do-the-electoral-votes-work-out/753986/5 "2016-05-05T16:20:38Z")
every state awards the plurality winner the electoral votes. ---
**Author:** ![beagledave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@beagledave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beagledave)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2016, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-there-is-no-majority-in-a-state-how-do-the-electoral-votes-work-out/753986/6 "2016-05-05T16:22:13Z")
> [@DerekMichaels00](#): > > every state awards the plurality winner the electoral votes. [Not every state.](http://www.270towin.com/content/split-electoral-votes-maine-and-nebraska/) ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2016, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-there-is-no-majority-in-a-state-how-do-the-electoral-votes-work-out/753986/7 "2016-05-05T16:44:12Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > 50%+1. To be pedantic majority =/= 50% + 1 if there are an odd number of voters. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2016, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-there-is-no-majority-in-a-state-how-do-the-electoral-votes-work-out/753986/8 "2016-05-05T17:06:59Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > To be pedantic majority =/= 50% + 1 if there are an odd number of voters. Ok, at least the integer value of 50%+1.