Plurality

A voting outcome in which a candidate or option receives more votes than any other, but not necessarily a majority (more than 50%). It is the standard for winning in ‘first-past-the-post’ electoral systems.

Example: In a three-way race, Candidate A wins with 40% of the vote, while Candidates B and C receive 35% and 25% respectively. Candidate A wins by plurality, despite 60% of voters choosing someone else.

Common misconception: Plurality and majority mean the same thing in elections. A majority requires over 50% of the vote, while a plurality only requires having the most votes relative to the competition, which can be a small fraction of the total.

Sources: https://www.fec.gov/ — FEC election results records: plurality wins are the norm in single-member, first-past-the-post races; https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/ — Wex (Cornell LII, labeled): plurality vs. majority in election law