Instead of ticking the candidates you want to vote for, on an STV voting paper you rank the candidates in
order of preference.
Put a "1" beside the candidate you like best, then a "2" beside your second choice, "3" by your third choice,
and so on.
You can vote for as many or as few candidates as you like.
This voter is saying:
"The candidate I most want to represent me on the council is Audrey Hepburn. But if she gets more votes than
she needs to be elected, then part of my vote is to be transferred to my second choice, Marilyn Monroe. Or if
Audrey has so little support that she can't possibly be elected, transfer my vote to Marilyn..."
Votes are counted using specially developed computer software.
Because parts of votes are transferred, the counting is too complex to be done by hand.
Brando
Hepburn
Lennon
Monroe
Presley
The counting process tallies all first preference votes (candidates
marked with a "1" on the voting paper) first.
In an STV election, candidates must reach a quota to get elected. The quota (shown here by the red line) is
based on the total number of votes and the number of vacant positions.
Brando
Hepburn
Lennon
Monroe
Presley
Marlon Brando and Marilyn Monroe have both received enough votes to meet the quota and are therefore elected. To elect a third candidate, surpluses from Brando and Monroe's votes are distributed to their voters' second preferences.
Brando
Hepburn
Lennon
Monroe
Presley
Elected
Elected
Not all of Brando and Monroe's voters gave a second preference, so some votes become non-transferable. The quota is recalculated, without the non-transferable votes.
Brando
Hepburn
Lennon
Monroe
Presley
Non transferable
Elected
Elected
If a third candidate is not found, the lowest polling
candidate (Elvis Presley) is excluded and his votes are transferred to his voters' second preferences.
Any votes redistributed to candidates already elected are surplus and further distribution occurs. Some of
Elvis Presley's voters did not give second preferences, those votes become non-transferable. The quota is
recalculated.
Brando
Hepburn
Lennon
Monroe
Presley
Non transferable
Elected
Elected
If a third candidate is still not found, the next lowest
polling candidate (Audrey Hepburn) is excluded and her votes are redistributed. Any votes redistributed to
candidates already elected are surplus and further distribution occurs.
Some of Audrey Hepburn's voters did not give second preferences, those votes become non-transferable.
Brando
Hepburn
Lennon
Monroe
Presley
Non transferable
Elected
Elected
The process repeats untill all vacancies are filled.
In this example, we were looking for three successful candidates. Marlon Brando, John Lennon and Marilyn
Monroe have all now met/exceeded the quota so the election is over.
Brando
Hepburn
Lennon
Monroe
Presley
Non transferable
Elected
Elected
Elected