What is soul of democacey

According to Aristotle it would be the democratic process itself, the act of democracy would be its soul.

Plato may argue that there is an 'absolute essence' of democracy and that would be its 'soul'

Generally in modern western language the 'soul' of democracy would be the 'idea' of it and the 'foundation' of the idea in individual rights and a mutual rule.

But without runoff elections you cant have real democracy or at least not much of a soul in it.