First-past-the-post

How e dey work, well well

Each voter pick one option, na so. Dem count di votes, arrange dem, di highest win. Na all: nobody ask wetin di voter think about di other options.

Watch di words well: dis method dey give PLURALITY (di most votes), no be MAJORITY (pass half). Di two dey same only when na two options. With three, person fit win with 34 % while 66 % wey scatter no want am.

If e tie exactly, no rule inside dey settle am: you need outside tie-break (draw, chairman vote, seniority). Placet go show di tie instead make e invent winner.

Example wey get figures

Hundred people dey pick where dem go do di retreat. Three options, one round.

Option	Votes	Share
Lyon	40	40 %
Bordeaux	35	35 %
Lille	25	25 %

Lyon lead with 40 votes: na im win.
But 60 people out of 100 vote against Lyon.
If Lille people prefer Bordeaux pass Lyon, Bordeaux for win head-to-head 60 to 40.

Di winner na di one wey gather di most first choices, no be di one wey di group really prefer. Na exactly dis Condorcet complain about since 1785.

Where e come from

First-past-the-post no get person wey invent am: e come from wetin people dey do for old English assemblies, where each county dey send one representative. Di name na horse-race talk — first person wey pass di post, nobody dey ask by how much.

British Empire carry am go almost everywhere: United Kingdom, India, Canada, United States, Nigeria. Today e still dey rule big part of di world, na colonial inheritance cause am pass any theory.

For 1951, di jurist Maurice Duverger talk di pattern wey carry im name: one-round plurality voting dey push country go two-party system, because if you vote third option, your vote just waste. E no be law like physics law, but di pattern hold well since then.

Where dem dey use am

General elections for United Kingdom, India and Canada.
US presidential election inside each state, where di winner carry all di electors.
Quick group decisions, when speed matter pass fine detail.
Express polls and two-way choices, where plurality and majority na di same thing.

Limits and wahala

✓ GOOD SIDE

Very easy to understand
Result sharp sharp
Na one trip to di ballot

✕ BAD SIDE

Winner wey 60% of voters reject
E dey push people to vote tactical
E dey crush small options

Minority winner

With three options or more, you fit win without ever convincing half of di group.

Spoiler effect

One option wey resemble anoda one go split im camp make third one win. Na so tactical voting take start, wey dey make people drop dia true first choice.

Duverger law

As tactical voting dey go, di options go reduce to two camps. Di fine differences go die before dem even vote.

Boundary wahala

When people dey vote by district, where dem draw di line dey count like di votes — na di open door to gerrymandering.

Questions wey people dey ask

Wetin be di difference between plurality and majority?

Plurality na di most votes; majority na pass half. Person wey win with 40 % get plurality but no get majority. If your decision must get legitimacy for group wey go live with am, dat difference no be small thing at all.

Why e still common reach so?

Because people understand am one time, dem fit count am by hand, and e dey always give clear answer. Dem don document im problems since 1785, but di simplicity na real political advantage.

When make I avoid am?

Once options pass two and di group must live with di decision. Approval voting cost di voter di same effort and solve most of di problem.