Question

Describe the difference between a plurality and a majority. Give of example of how someone can win with plurality but not majority

Answer 1

plurality is the circumstance when a candidate or proposition polls more votes than any other, but does not receive a majority.

A majority voting system, requires a candidate to receive more than 50% of the vote. Although both the plurality and majority systems will elect the candidate with the most votes, in a majority voting system, this could take more than one election if no one wins the majority in the first election.

A candidate can win the election according to plurality without the majority of the votes. For example if candidate A has 15 votes, candidate B as 13 and candidate D has 7 votes then candidate A wins even though they don't have the majority of the votes. In this case, the majority criteria would not be applicable so plurality still satisfies the majority criteria.