die Stichwahl, -en
runoff election
Ein zweiter Termin für eine Abstimmung, wenn beim ersten Mal niemand genug Stimmen bekommen hat. Dabei treten meist nur die zwei besten Personen gegeneinander an.
Definition & meaning
Stichwahl means a runoff election: a second round of voting held when no candidate (or list) achieves the required majority in the first round. The runoff typically takes place between the leading candidates to produce a clear winner.
In a broader sense, it can also refer to any decisive second vote that serves as a “final selection” after an initial round did not settle the outcome.
Grammar & Word origin
- Part of speech: noun (feminine)
- Article: die Stichwahl
- Plural: die Stichwahlen
Word parts (compound):
- Stich: literally “stab/needle-prick,” also used metaphorically for a “decisive thrust” or “tiebreak/decider”
- Wahl: “election/choice”
So Stichwahl conveys the idea of a deciding election.
Synonyms & antonyms
German synonyms (depending on context):
- Stichentscheid (deciding vote/decision, more general)
- zweiter Wahlgang (second round of voting)
- Wahlwiederholung (repeat election; not always the same as a runoff, but sometimes used loosely)
Antonyms:
No direct fixed antonym. Depending on context, the opposite idea could be:
Make “Stichwahl” part of your vocabulary.
Build your German vocabulary with flashcards, audio and spaced repetition.
Examples
Die Stichwahl findet nächste Woche statt.noun
The runoff election will take place next week.
Nach der knappen ersten Runde entschieden die Bürger in einer Stichwahl über den neuen Bürgermeister.noun
After the close first round, the citizens decided in a runoff election on the new mayor.
Keep exploring German
Learn words from the content you love.
Add words from websites, books and videos, then remember them with spaced repetition (SRS).
Scan for iPhone & iPad