The Elections are conducted using a voting system known as the Single Transferable Vote or STV. The system requires voters to list candidates in order of preference, rather than simply voting with an ‘x’ for one candidate and is intended to ensure that the candidate who is elected has the support of a majority of the voters.
What Voters Should Do
Voters will receive an electronic ballot papers for each position to be elected and each should be treated completely separately. On each ballot paper voters should place the number ‘1’ next to the name of their preferred candidate. They should then place a ‘2’ next to their second preference, ‘3’ next to their third preference and so on until they either have no further preference (i.e. they are indifferent about remaining candidates) or there are no candidates left to vote for on that ballot paper.
How it works
When the votes are counted, to begin with all the electronic ballot papers are sorted and allocated to the candidate marked with a ‘1’ and the total number of valid votes is counted. Half the total number of valid votes + one (i.e. 50% + 1) are required for a candidate to be elected, this is called the ‘quota’. If a candidate has already exceeded the quota from the first preferences then s/he is deemed to be elected. If no candidate reaches quota then the candidate with the lowest number of votes after the first round of the count is excluded and their electronic ballot papers and the votes on them are then redistributed according to the second preferences listed. This process continues, with the candidate at the end of each round with the least votes being excluded and their votes redistributed until one candidate achieves the quota or an unassailable majority, and is therefore elected.
None of the Above / Re-Open Nominations (RON)
SU elections also include the option for voters to choose Re-Open Nominations (RON) instead of voting for any or some of the candidates. This is for two main reasons: Firstly, candidates who stand unopposed still have to face an election, and secondly, it means voters who disapprove of some/all of the candidates can express their opinion positively. RON operates in the same way as any other candidate and can be made any preference by a voter on the ballot paper. If RON wins the election, then none of the candidates are elected for that position and the election is re-run for that position.
What does this mean for you?
Few elections are won on first preferences alone and almost all candidates have to rely on transfers to get elected, so if you want to be elected you need to get people who intend to vote for other candidates to vote for you as their second or subsequent preference.
So, remember that when you’re campaigning – if you’re negative about other candidates then you’re going to cut down your chances of getting their voters to give you their preferences. Also, remember that if someone tells you that they’re voting for someone else it’s not necessarily a wasted vote and you can always try and get them to vote for you as a second preference.