What is Split the Vote?

Definition and meaning of split the vote: "Splitting the vote" refers to a situation where voters who support a particular political ideology or candidate are divided between two or more candidates, thereby reducing their collective vote share and increasing the chances of a candidate they do not support winning the election. In the context of voting for independent and third-party candidates, splitting the vote can occur when multiple candidates with similar political beliefs or platforms run in the same election, potentially causing the vote to be divided among them instead of being consolidated behind a single candidate. This can result in the candidate or party with the most support still losing the election to a candidate or party with less support but who benefits from the vote split.