Plurality

In the law of elections. The excess of the votes cast for one candidate over those cast for any other. Where there are only two candidates, he who re-coives the greater number of the votes cast is said to have a majority; when there are more than two competitors for the same office, the person who receives the greatest nnmber of votes has a plurality, but he has not a majority uniess he receives a greater number of votes than those cast for all his competitors combined. In ecclesiastical law, "plurality" means the holding two, three, or more benefices by the same incumbent; and he is called a "pluralist." Pluruiities are now abolished, except in certain cases.

2 Steph. Co.nun. 691, 692.