Final answer:
Using the plurality method, Pete wins the election with 15 votes, which is the highest count of first-place votes. A plurality win does not require a majority; it only requires having more votes than any other candidate.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the context of elections, the plurality method stipulates that the candidate with the most first-place votes wins the election. This does not necessarily mean a majority of the votes; rather, the winner could have the largest count of votes even if that count does not exceed 50 percent of the total votes.
Applying the plurality method to the votes given:
- Pete - 15 votes
- Ray J - 12 votes
- Kanye - 5 votes
- Kim - 3 votes
Pete would win the election under the plurality method with 15 votes since he has more votes than any other candidate. Although Pete does not have a majority (which would be over 18 votes if the total number is 35), he still wins because he has the highest number of votes, which counts as a plurality.