Cumulative voting is a system used to allow voters to cast their ballots for multiple candidates in an election. This method is used to ensure that minority groups have a say in a decision-making process. Other phrases that could be used to describe this concept include cumulative election, preference voting, multi-member district, proportional representation, and weighted voting. Each of these terms is related to the idea of giving voters more than one vote to select representatives who will best represent their interests. Each of these practices fashions election outcomes that reflect the diversity of the population and factor in the voices of previously underrepresented groups.