If many eligible voters are missing from an area's voter list, why may the legitimacy of the winner be questioned?

Correct answer: Because the result was not based on the participation of all eligible voters

The correct answer is A: excluding many eligible voters weakens the representative basis of the result. In a democratic election, the elected person is expected to represent the people of the constituency, not merely the smaller group that happened to remain on an incomplete list. If many eligible citizens are unable to vote because their names are missing, the vote totals may not express the preferences of the whole electorate. A does not mean that every voter must actually turn out; it means that eligible citizens should have a fair opportunity to participate. B is irrelevant because a large number of candidates does not itself exclude voters. C describes a normal condition, not a defect. D has no logical connection with legitimacy. Memory cue: a fair result requires an inclusive opportunity to vote, not just a declared winner.