This system of full representation is also known by other names, including the single transferable vote, the Hare system, and the preference vote. It was the system of representation used by several cities in the United States during the first half of this century, where it was clearly shown to boost minority representation, for instance leading to the election of New York City council’s first African American member in 1937. Choice voting remains in use in Cambridge, Massachusetts today. This system can be used in nonpartisan elections, making it particularly good for electing leadership in private organizations and small localities.
For the voter, an election using choice voting is very easy. Candidate are simply ranked order of preference. So if you like Nash best, you put a “1” by her name. If you like Carston second best, you put a “2” by his name, and so on.
The vote count then proceeds in the following manner. First, the minimum number of votes necessary to be elected, or the ‘threshold’, is calculated. The threshold is usually calculated as the total number of voters divided by one plus the number of seats to be filled. So in a nine seat district, a candidate would need just over 1/(1+9),
or one-tenth of the vote, to be elected on the first count. Ballot papers are then sorted in accordance with voters’ first preferences.
Any candidates who gain more votes than the threshold are declared elected. Then the surplus votes (that is, the number of votes in excess of the threshold) of these candidates are transferred to the other candidates according to the voters’ second preferences. Any new surpluses created by this process are similarly transferred.
If all the seats are not filled through the reallocation of surplus votes, the last place candidate is eliminated and his or her ballots are transferred to the second choice candidates on those ballots. The ballots are then recounted to see if anyone has now reached the threshold.
This transfer process continues until the required number of candidates have been elected. The main purpose of the transfers is to ensure that your vote isn’t wasted if your favorite candidate doesn’t win. If your #1 choice is
eliminated, your vote is transferred to your #2 choice to help him or her win. This transfer process ensures that all voters have a good chance of electing one of their top-ranked candidates and that all political groups are represented in proportion to their strength in the electorate. Moreover, choice voting solves the problem of “spoiler” candidates and vote spliting, and also encourages a more inclusive brand of politics. Candidates will be more inclined to reach out to their opponents’ natural supporters if there is a chance that they could benefit from being ranked second or third on the ballot.
