What characterizes a "winner-takes-all" electoral system?

A "winner-takes-all" electoral system is characterized by an electoral process in which the candidate who receives the most votes in a particular contest is awarded all the available electoral votes for that locality or jurisdiction. This means that, unlike proportional systems where votes are allocated based on the percentage of support each candidate receives, the leading candidate secures complete victory over the others, effectively consolidating the electoral power in their hands for that contest.

This system is particularly evident in the context of the United States Electoral College, where most states allocate all their electoral votes to the candidate who achieves the highest number of votes within that state. This characteristic can create a strong incentive for candidates to campaign vigorously in states with more electoral votes, potentially leading to the underrepresentation of minority views, as smaller parties or candidates can struggle to gain traction in this polarized framework.

Other options do not accurately capture the defining trait of a winner-takes-all system, as they either refer to concepts unrelated to electoral outcomes, such as random selection or sharing electoral votes among candidates.