The math department is voting for a new department chairperson. The candidates are Jenkins (J),
Peterson (P), and Thomas (T). The results of the election are summarized in the preference table
Below. Using the plurality-with-elimination method of voting, determine the winner.

Question

The math department is voting for a new department chairperson. The candidates are Jenkins (J),
Peterson (P), and Thomas (T). The results of the election are summarized in the preference table
Below.  Using the plurality-with-elimination method of voting, determine the winner.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Using the plurality-with-elimination method, we eliminate the candidate with the least votes in each round until we have a winner.

Round 1: 
Jenkins (J) has the least votes, so he is eliminated.

Round 2: 
Peterson (P) has the most votes, so he is the winner.

Therefore, the winner is Peterson (P). In the first round, Jenkins has the lowest number of first choice votes and is eliminated. In the second round, Peterson has the most first choice votes and wins with a majority, so Peterson is the winner.

The Math Department Is Voting for a New Department Chairperson