ToC | Next Labs: Voting and Social Choice. Part 1. Math Alive

Plurality Method

The table below represents the preference schedule for five beverages. All questions on this and the following four webpages will pertain to this table.

Preference Schedule

  group of 18 group of 12 group of 10 group of 9 group of 4 group of 2
Killians512424
Molson155555
Samuel Adams234133
Guinness441242
Meister Brau323311

Each number in the table represents the ranking given to each beer by a group of voters. For example, the first number for Killians is 5, meaning that 18 people ranked Killians as the fifth best beer. Moving along the row, 12 people ranked it first, 10 ranked it second, 9 ranked it fourth, another 4 ranked it second, and another 2 ranked it 4th. Thus, the rankings for Killians are as follows:

PlaceNumber of Votes
first12
second14 (10 + 4)
third0
fourth11 (9 + 2)
fifth18

The plurality scheme simply elects the beverage that receives the most first-place votes.

Note: if two (or more) candidates have the same number of first place votes, look to their second-place (or if necessary, their third-place, etc.) votes to decide the winner.

Practice
Plurality Method

Given the above preference schedule, which beer would win under the plurality voting scheme (be careful to spell your answer correctly)? Do not forget to press "Enter".

Click here if you need an explanation for the example above.


ToC | Next Last Modified: August 2008