In the plurality method, the choice with the most first preference votes is declared the winner. It is possible to have a winner in the plurality method without having a majority over 50%. Here is an example of a preference table:
Six voting blocks made their preferences for a city project. The options are to build a Library (L), Fitness Centre (F) or a commercial complex (C).
| # Voters | 41 | 25 | 13 | 26 | 30 | 15 |
| 1st Choice | L | L | F | F | C | C |
| 2nd Choice | F | C | L | C | F | L |
| 3rd Choice | C | F | C | L | L | F |
Here are the aggregates of first-choice votes for each option.
| Choice | Votes | % |
| Library(L) | 66 | 66/150 = 44 |
| Fitness (F) | 39 | 29/150 = 26 |
| commercial (C) | 45 | 45/150 = 30 |
The library is the winner.
The plurality method can potentially violate fairness criteria as the final choice is not guaranteed to win in all one-to-one comparisons. One of them is the Condorcet Criterion.
