Legal Definitions - single transferable vote

The single transferable vote (STV) is an electoral system designed to achieve proportional representation by allowing voters to rank candidates in order of preference rather than simply choosing one. In an STV election, voters mark their ballot by indicating their first choice, second choice, third choice, and so on.

The system works by first determining a quota of votes needed for a candidate to be elected. If a candidate receives more than this quota, their surplus votes are transferred to the voters' next preferred candidates. If a candidate receives too few votes and is eliminated, their votes are also transferred to the voters' next preferences. This process continues through multiple rounds until all available seats are filled, ensuring that as many votes as possible contribute to electing a candidate and promoting a more representative outcome.

• University Student Council Election

  Imagine a large university is electing five representatives to its student council. There are ten candidates running, each with different platforms. Instead of just picking one candidate, students rank their choices from 1 to 10. If a very popular candidate receives more than enough first-preference votes to secure a seat, their extra votes are distributed to the students' second-preference candidates. Similarly, if a candidate receives very few first-preference votes and is eliminated, their votes are transferred to the students' second or third preferences, ensuring those votes still count towards electing someone the student supports. This helps ensure the five elected representatives broadly reflect the diverse views and priorities of the student body.

• Professional Association Board Election

  Consider a national association for engineers that needs to elect three new members to its governing board. There are seven candidates, each representing different specializations within engineering (e.g., civil, electrical, software). Members of the association rank the seven candidates according to their preference. If the top-ranked candidate from the civil engineering specialization quickly meets the election quota, their surplus votes are transferred to the next preferred candidates on those ballots, perhaps benefiting a candidate from electrical engineering or software engineering. This mechanism helps ensure that the final three board members represent a broader range of engineering disciplines and member interests, rather than just the most popular single specialization.

• Local Community Group Committee Election

  A neighborhood association is electing three members to its executive committee. There are six candidates, each with different priorities for the community (e.g., park improvements, traffic calming, local events). Residents cast their votes by ranking the six candidates. If the candidate focused on park improvements receives a large number of first-preference votes, exceeding the quota, their excess votes are then distributed to the voters' second-preference candidates. This might help elect a candidate focused on traffic calming or local events who might not have won outright with only first-preference votes. This system ensures that the committee members collectively represent a wider array of community priorities and perspectives, as votes are not "wasted" on candidates who already have enough votes or too few to win.