The "Spoiler Effect" refers to a phenomenon in elections where a candidate who has little chance of winning can influence the outcome by drawing votes away from a more viable candidate. This often occurs in multi-candidate races, where the presence of a third-party or independent candidate can split the vote, potentially allowing a less popular candidate to win. For example, in the 2000 U.S. presidential election, the presence of Ralph Nader, a Green Party candidate, is often cited as a factor that contributed to George W. Bush winning over Al Gore. Nader's supporters may have otherwise voted for Gore, illustrating how a spoiler can alter the expected results of an election.