Single Transferable Vote

Multi Member Constituencies Only Voting is Preferential meaning voters indicate preference by numbers, In order of their favourite i.e. 1 beside their first candidate 2 beside their second and so on Voting is ordinal: voters can vote for every candidate that they like Candidate Must achieve Droop Quota In Order to be elected If a Candidate has already filled droop quota then those persons who voted for that candidate will have their votes redistributed to their next choice candidate

Droop Quota calculated as follows:

If no candidate makes quota on first count of votes, lowest candidate is eliminated and second preference is transferred Elimination and redistribution continues until requisite number of seats are filled by candidates meeting quota Stv is used in local and European parliament elections, in Northern Ireland local elections, plus general elections in the republic of Ireland

Advantages of STV Broadly proportional and ensures votes are largely of equal value Only Party/ Coalition of parties that wins more than 50% can form a government Choice from a range of candidates

Disadvantages of STV Breaks links between MPs and constituencies Produces Coalition governments giving Disproportional power to minor parties Less accurate translating votes to seats

Summary Votes selected from a range of candidates in their order of preference A candidate must achieve a quota of votes (droop quota) Any excess votes are redistributed according to 2 nd preference If candidate to reach quota, lowest place candidate is eliminated and 2 nd preference of his or her voters are transferred Process of elimination continues until required number of candidates meets quota

Is STV better than FPTP? Stv is more democratic but is far more complicated than first past the post STV gives minor parties more political power, but sometimes too much-Disproportional power STV Produces Coalition governments which aren't particularly strong and are built on compromise FPTP is easier for the average voter to understand and produces a clear winner and a stronger government In theory Stv is more democratic and sounds fairer but in practice we feel FPTP is superior