Under which system of election are third-party candidates generally better off?

• A. Majority runoff
• B. Electoral college
• C. First-past-the-post
• D. Proportional representation

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the characteristics of each electoral system mentioned: Majority runoff, Electoral college, First-past-the-post, and Proportional representation.
2. Recall that in a First-past-the-post system, the candidate with the most votes wins, often disadvantaging third-party candidates because votes for them may not translate into seats.
3. Recognize that the Electoral college system, used in U.S. presidential elections, tends to favor major parties due to winner-take-all rules in most states.
4. Know that Majority runoff requires a candidate to get more than 50% of votes, often leading to a second round between the top two candidates, which can marginalize third parties.
5. Identify that Proportional representation allocates seats based on the percentage of votes each party receives, allowing third-party candidates to gain representation more easily compared to other systems.