The problem with plurality voting

Assume your organization is having an election for President by plurality vote. There are three candidates: A, B, and C. The preferences of the members are as follows:

  • 44% A > C > B
  • 36% B > C > A
  • 12% C > A > B
  • 8% C > B > A

A gets 44% of the votes, B gets 36%, and C gets 20%.

A
B
C

Under plurality vote, A wins the election. But let's look at how people would have voted if the candidates were paired in head-to-head match-ups. A wins over B by 56%/44%.

A
B

C wins over A by 60%/40%.

A
C

C wins over B by 60%/40%.

B
C

Is it fair that A won the election, when C would have beat both A and B in head-to-head match-ups, and by a higher margin than that by which A won? That's for you to decide.