No Voting system can guarantee a clear result all the time, even FPTP.

Some close elections, where the winner won a bare majority, or where a third party or independents hold the balance of power include:

Australia

• 1901-1913 party system yet to crystalise.
• 1919 - introduce IRV (preferential voting)
• 1939 - balance of power held by 2 independents.
• 1961 - majority of 1 - 1963 election one year early to exploit opportunity to gain larger majority.

New South Wales

• 19?? - introduce IRV
• 1976 - majority of 1
• 1992 - 3 independents hold balance of power
• 1995 - majority of 3

South Australia

• 1966 - Centre party holds balance of power - 1 seat

Canada

• Canadian federal election, 1957 PC 109, Lib 105, CCF 25, SC 19, Ind 5
• Canadian federal election, 1972 Lib. 109, PC 107, NDP 31, SC 15, Ind 2

British Columbia

• British Columbia general election, 1996 NDP 39, Lib 33, Ref 2, PDA 1

Saskatchewan

• Saskatchewan general election, 1929 Lib 28, Cons 24, Prog 5, Ind 6
• Saskatchewan general election, 1999 NDP 29, Sask 25, Lib 4
• Saskatchewan general election, 2003 NDP 30, Sask 28

Manitoba

• Manitoba general election, 1969 NDP 28, PC 22, Lib 5, SC 1, Ind 1
• Manitoba general election, 1986 NDP 30, PC 26, Lib 1
• Manitoba general election, 1988 PC 25, Lib 20, NDP 12

Ontario

• Ontario general election, 1867 Cons 41, Lib 41
• Ontario general election, 1871 Lib 43, Cons 38, Ind 1
• Ontario general election, 1902 Lib 50, Cons 48
• Ontario general election, 1943 PC 38, CCF 34, Lib 15
• Ontario general election, 1985 PC 52, Lib 48, NDP 25

Quebec

• Quebec general election, 1878 Cons 32, Lib 31, Ind 2
• Quebec general election, 1886 Lib 33, Cons 26, Ind 6
• Quebec general election, 1966 UN 56, Lib 50, Ind 2

New Brunswick

• New Brunswick general election, 1978 PC 30, Lib 28
• New Brunswick general election, 2003 PC 28, Lib 26, NDP 1

Yukon

• Yukon general election, 1992 Yuk 7, NDP 6, Lib 1, Ind 3
• Yukon general election, 1989 NDP 9, PC 7
• Yukon general election, 1985 NDP 8, PC 6, Lib 2

United Kingdom

• FPTP
• 1974-1979 - third parties hold balance of power

United States

Due to the electoral college, elections where the electoral vote was decided by a large margin could easily be reversed by the shifting of swing states. The results ignore faithless electors.

• U.S. presidential election, 1876 Rep 185, Dem 184

South Carolina went to Hayes by 889 votes, and the returns were accepted only after the Electoral Commission ruled. Justice Joseph P. Bradley cast the deciding swing vote in this election.

• U.S. presidential election, 1916 Dem 277, Rep 254

California was decided by about 4000 votes, and its 13 electoral votes would have swung the election if switched.

• U.S. presidential election, 1976 Dem 297, Rep 241

Ohio (25) and Hawaii (4) went Democratic by close margins.

• U.S. presidential election, 2000 Rep 271, Dem 267

The Florida debacle . The 537-vote Bush nailbiter would have given Gore a large victory if the victory was reversed. It is often stated that the Supreme Court case Bush v. Gore determined the election result, with Sandra Day O'Connor casting the deciding vote.

See also

The opposite of a result that is too close is one that is too lop-sided.