first-past-the-post

British

noun

(modifier) of or relating to a voting system in which a candidate may be elected by a simple majority rather than an absolute majority Compare proportional representation

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

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Under the first-past-the-post electoral system, the candidate or candidates with the most votes in each seat are elected.

From BBC • May 9, 2026

This is done by a first-past-the-post system of voting where the candidate with the most votes wins.

From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026

The former system of proportional representation was replaced by something closer to the first-past-the-post system, as used in the UK.

From BBC • Jul. 13, 2025

Mayors are also elected under this system, known as first-past-the-post.

From BBC • Mar. 21, 2025

Every MP is elected on a first-past-the-post basis, meaning that to win a seat, the BDP only needs the largest number of votes in a constituency rather than more than 50%.

From BBC • Oct. 26, 2024

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023