Short answer
A plurality means more votes than any rival; a majority means more than half of the votes. A candidate can therefore lead the field without receiving a majority. Whether that lead elects the candidate depends on the voting method: plurality voting is common in US elections, but it is not the only method. 1 2
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At a glance
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| Question | Majority | Plurality |
|---|---|---|
| Compared with what? | Half of the relevant vote total | Each rival’s vote total |
| Must exceed 50%? | Yes | No |
| Can describe the same candidate? | Yes, if the candidate exceeds half | Yes, that candidate also leads |
| Enough to win? | Under the described majority-based methods | Under single-winner plurality voting |
These comparisons concern ordinary single-choice candidate tallies. 1 2
What each thing is
The terms answer different counting questions. Majority asks whether a candidate has crossed a threshold measured against the total. Plurality asks which candidate has the largest individual count. Neither term, by itself, describes the full election procedure used to produce or act on that count. 1 2
Key differences
A plurality can coexist with more votes going to the other candidates combined. That does not prevent victory under a plurality rule. A majority, by contrast, exceeds the combined remainder in the same tally. The key boundary is not the size of the lead over second place, but whether the candidate exceeds half. 2
How to tell them apart
First compare the leading candidate’s count with each rival’s; then compare it with half the relevant total. A unique leader has a plurality, and a leader above half also has a majority. The limit: this identifies the count, not necessarily the winner—alternative methods may require further counting or another election. 1 2
Where they overlap
Majority and plurality are not mutually exclusive labels. In an ordinary single-choice tally, a candidate with more than half necessarily has more votes than any rival. Calling that result a plurality is accurate, but leaves out the additional fact that the candidate also passed the halfway threshold. 1 2
Edge cases
In single-winner ranked-choice voting, the relevant total can change. The supplied account says ballots whose ranked choices have all been eliminated are removed from later tallies. A final-round majority therefore should not automatically be described as support from more than half of everyone who originally cast a ballot. 2
Why the distinction exists
Election methods treat a lead differently. A plurality system can settle the race immediately, while a majority-seeking method may continue after no candidate exceeds half. The supplied account describes both a separate primary runoff between the top two candidates and ranked-choice rounds that eliminate candidates and retally preferences. 2
Common misconceptions
Winning does not necessarily mean receiving most of the votes: plurality winners can finish below 50%. Nor is exactly 50% a majority; the threshold is more than half. Finally, common does not mean mandatory: the EAC says single-winner plurality voting is not constitutionally required. 1 2
Examples
Historical case: Paul LePage won Maine’s 2010 governor’s race with 38% in a four-candidate field—a winning plurality, not a majority. Hypothetical case: With 100 votes split 51–30–19, the leader has both. A split of 45–35–20 instead gives the leader only a plurality. 2