Runoff election definition
If no candidate wins more than 50% of the vote, states may hold a runoff election between the top two candidates.
A runoff election, also called a two-round election, is a second, follow-up election held when no one wins a congressional election outright. States usually hold runoffs when no candidate receives a majority (more than 50% of the votes) in the first election. The top two vote-getters from the first election compete in the runoff.
The Constitution lets states set the time, place, and manner of their congressional elections, so runoff rules for US Senate and US House races differ by state.
How does a runoff election work?
All candidates for an office appear on the first ballot. If one candidate gets a majority, they’re the winner; the race is over, and no runoff is needed. If no one gets a majority, the two candidates with the most votes advance to a runoff election held later. Whoever receives the most votes in the runoff wins.
Each state sets its own timing. For example, Texas held its 2026 primary in March and its primary runoff in May. South Carolina held its 2026 primary in June and its runoff two weeks later.
Special elections can involve runoffs too. When a US House member dies, resigns, or leaves office early, the state holds a special election to fill the seat.
In some states, the race begins with a special primary, where each party picks its nominee. Most give the nomination to whoever gets the most votes, even without a majority. Others require a majority, and if no candidate wins one, the top two compete in a runoff primary.
What is a primary runoff election?
A primary runoff decides a party’s nominee when no candidate wins a majority of the primary vote. In federal races, the winner then becomes the party's candidate on the November ballot.
Voting rules differ by state. In Texas, for example, voters who cast a ballot in one party's primary may vote only in that party's runoff, but voters who skipped the primary may vote in either party's runoff. Louisiana ties the rule to party registration instead. Voters registered with a party may vote only in that party's primaries, and voters with no party may choose either party, but not both.
Which states hold runoffs in federal races?
Ten states can hold federal runoffs. In 2026:
- Nine set runoff dates for their congressional primaries: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Texas.
- Georgia, one of the nine, also holds general election runoffs when no candidate gets a majority. The top two candidates meet four weeks after the general election.
- Louisiana schedules its runoffs separately. Its US Senate race has a second party primary in June if no candidate wins a majority, and its US House races all run on one November ballot, with a second round on December 12 if needed.
Keep exploring
- How do voting laws differ by state? - Voter registration, ability to vote by mail, and ID requirements to vote in-person vary by state.
- How do runoff elections work? - Nine states schedule runoffs for congressional primaries where no one candidate takes a majority, and two have general election runoffs.
- Dates to know for the 2024 presidential election - The 2024 presidential election will take place on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. Presidential primaries and caucuses are scheduled to begin in January and will run through June.
- How does voter turnout in the US differ by state, age and race? - The past four decades show clear trends in voter turnout: older, white Americans are most likely to cast a ballot. But some states buck the trend.
