Which allocation method involves a vote to decide how resources should be distributed?

The method of allocation that involves a vote to determine how resources are distributed is majority rule. This approach typically reflects the preferences of the majority of participants, where individuals in a group express their choices and the option that receives the most support is selected for implementation.

Majority rule embodies the democratic principle of decision-making, ensuring that the outcome aligns with the preferences of more than half of the voters. In contexts such as resource distribution, it allows for a collective approach, where choices made by the majority are recognized, fostering a sense of shared agreement and legitimacy in the decisions.

The other methods listed do not rely on a voting process: authority typically involves a single decision-maker or a designated group with the power to make decisions; force entails the use of power or coercion to allocate resources, often disregarding individual preferences; and first come, first served is a sequential allocation based purely on timing of requests rather than a decision-making process based on group consensus.