Final answer:
To win by plurality, a candidate must receive more votes than any other candidate, not necessarily a majority of the votes cast. This system is used in most elections in the United States, and it allows a candidate to win without securing over 50 percent of the vote. Therefore correct option is A
Step-by-step explanation:
To win by plurality, a candidate must receive more votes than any other candidate. This is different from a majority vote, where a candidate must receive more than 50 percent of the votes cast. In a plurality election, there is no need for the winning candidate to have a majority; simply having the most votes compared to other candidates is sufficient to win. This is the common system employed in the United States for most Congress and presidential elections. It contrasts with majority elections, where if no candidate secures over 50 percent, a runoff may be necessary
For example, during the U.S. presidential election of 1860, Abraham Lincoln was elected with only 40 percent of the popular vote, which was a plurality and not a majority, but it was more than any of the other three candidates received. Similarly, if an election had three candidates with vote shares of 40%, 35%, and 25% respectively, the candidate with 40% would win by plurality despite not having an outright majority.
In the context of the options given in the question, option A, 'more votes than any other candidate' is the definition of winning by plurality.