Question

Four professors are running for chair of the Natural

Science Division: Professors Darwin (D), Einstein (E),
Freud (F), and Hawking (H). The votes of the professors
in the natural science division are summarized in the
preference table to the right. Who is declared the new
division chair using the plurality method?
Professor
www
is declared the new division chair.
Number of Votes
First Choice
Second Choice
Third Choice
Fourth Choice
20 27 23 9 3
DHFE
ZEFIO
E F
FEHO
H
E D
SHEF
D D
MHFOE
D

Answer 1

The person who is declared the new division chair using the plurality method is Professor Darwin.

Who is declared the new division chair?

The person who is declared the new division chair using the plurality method is Professor Darwin. To obtain the answer, we would count the first-place votes as

F:28, D:20, H:18, E:14

We then eliminate candidate E and rewrite the table such that the first-place votes would then be

F: 28, D:31, H:21

Next, eliminate candidate H and rewrite the table so that the first place votes would now be

F:31, D:49

Thus, we can conclude that Candidate D who is Professor Darwin is now the new division chair.