Nor can any candidate get even 49 percent of the vote against all challengers. But Clinton is able to get at least 48 percent of the vote against any challenger. This is better than either Perot or Bush can do. If the three-way race continues, the '92 election may put these theories to the test. While parliamentary democracy is equipped to handle multi-party elections, we are less confident about the Electoral College.
Democracy requires compromise.
That means taking account of voters' second choices. Although there are several ways of doing this and no single right way, my vote is for Condorcet's rule.