Definition

The do-over election held when no candidate achieves the required majority in the first round, forcing the top contenders into sudden-death overtime. It's democracy's version of "best two out of three," typically featuring just the top two vote-getters in a head-to-head showdown. Also the hydrological term for water that doesn't soak in, but the political usage is far more dramatic.

Example Usage

Since no candidate received over 50% of the vote, the election headed to a runoff between the top two finishers next month.

Source: Common electoral terminology

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