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In real elections with more than two alternatives, as in made-up examples, different voting procedures can surprisingly often lead to dramatically different outcomes. The 1860 presidential election provides a real-world example.
Lincoln today is usually ranked among the greatest presidents. In 1860, though, he was an extraordinarily polarizing figure, popular with many in the North but abhorred in the South. Douglas, Lincoln's closest competitor, was widely popular. As the popular vote shows, Lincoln won more first place votes than Douglas. But according to historians Douglas was nearly everyone's second choice. Douglas, according to a recent study, would have won using almost any procedure other than plurality rule.[4]
| Candidate |
Party |
% Popular Vote |
Electoral
College Votes |
% Electoral
College Vote |
| Abraham Lincoln |
Republican |
39.8 |
180 |
59.4 |
| John Breckenridge |
Southern Democratic |
18.1 |
72 |
23.8 |
| John Bell |
Constitutional Union |
12.6 |
39 |
12.9 |
| Stephen Douglas |
Democratic |
29.5 |
12 |
4.0 |
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