Voting Methods Vocabulary

Flashcards introducing key voting theory terms and methods from Chapter 1 through Chapter 6 of the lecture.

Plurality method

A voting method in which the choice with the most first preference votes is declared the winner.

Condorcet winner

A candidate who wins all possible head-to-head matchups against every other candidate when all candidates appear on the ballot.

Instant runoff voting method

A voting method where the choice with the least first-place votes is eliminated from the election and any votes for that candidate are redistributed to the voter's next choice, continuing until a choice achieves a majority.

Borda count method

A voting method where points are assigned to candidates based on their ranking ($1$ point for last choice, $2$ points for second to last choice, and so on), and the candidate with the largest point total wins.

Majority

Receiving more than $50\%$ of the total votes (for example, at least $19$ votes out of $37$ total votes).

Preference schedule

A chart or table showing how voters ranked options from their favorite to their least favorite.

Runoff vote

A secondary vote used to settle ties that occur when using voting systems such as the plurality method.