When an election fails to produce a clear winner, the process of determining a winner is called

1. Analyze the question The question asks for the term used when an election does not produce a clear winner (for example, no candidate meets the required threshold or votes), and a further process is held to decide the winner.

2. Explain the concepts

• Recall: Voters remove an elected official from office before their term ends, usually through a petition and a vote.
• Re-run election: A fresh election held in the affected constituency or polling units when the original one is inconclusive, cancelled, or has no clear winner (for example, a candidate fails to meet the constitutional spread or margin requirement). In Nigeria, INEC conducts these when results are inconclusive.
• Bye-election: Held to fill a vacancy that occurs between general elections, such as through death, resignation, or removal of an office holder.
• Referendum: A direct vote by the electorate on a specific issue or policy, not on choosing a candidate.

3. Solution

• The election has already been held, but no clear winner emerged, so we need another round to decide.
• A recall removes someone and does not decide a winner, so A is out.
• A bye-election fills a vacancy and does not settle an inconclusive election, so C is out.
• A referendum is about issues, not candidates, so D is out.
• A re-run election (also called a run-off or repeat election) is held to determine the winner when the first one was inconclusive.

4. Answer The correct option is B. a re-run election.

5. Exam tip Link each term to its trigger:

• Recall = remove
• Bye-election = vacancy
• Referendum = issue
• Re-run = no clear winner