In addition to the traditional hand count, there are at least three methods of implementing instant runoff voting (IRV) with equipment that is not fully compatible with recording transferable ballots. These are the recount method, the pairing method, and the stored pairs Method. The recount method allows for the ranking of three or more candidates, while the other two methods limit voters to two rankings. Ireland, Australia and Malta all use a hand count, although Ireland is exploring the use of automated equipment.
 

The recount method can only be used with systems that use a physical ballot that voters could write on. This includes hand counted ballots, optical scanning equipment, and punch cards but excludes direct recording equipment (DRE) such as lever, push button and touch screen systems.

In the recount method, voters vote for their first choices as they would in a non-IRV race. Depending on the equipment in use, they punch the card, write a number 1 next to the candidate, or fill in the bubble. The voting equipment then totals up the first choices and determine if any candidate received a majority of the first choice votes and is therefore elected.

Voters indicate their second and third choices by handwriting them on the ballot. These rankings will only be used in the event that no candidate receives a majority of the first choices. In this case, the ballots are counted as if a court ordered a hand recount of the election. The ballots are sorted into piles by first choice votes, the candidate with the fewest first choice votes is eliminated, and those ballots are distributed to the next-ranked candidate on each ballot. This process continues until one candidate receives a majority of the ballots.

The advantages of this system are that existing equipment can be used; voters can rank as many candidates as they wish; and in the majority of cases where one candidate receives a majority of the vote, the ballot counting is no different from current practices. The disadvantage is that in the few cases where a manual recount is required, final election results take longer.

Vermont is considering the recount method of IRV.
 

The pairing method allows voters to rank two candidates while using a fully automated count with existing equipment. With the pairing method, instead of allowing the voter to indicate a first and second choice, the ballots lists all possible pairings of rankings. To vote, a voter simply selects the pairing that lists his/her first and second choice.

The voting equipment tabulates totals for each pairing exactly as it would compute totals for each candidate in a plurality election. Using the totals for each pairing, election officials can quickly total the first choice votes for each candidate, eliminate defeated candidates and transfer votes to voters’ second choices.

The advantage of this system is that election results are quickly available. The system has two disadvantages. First, it only allows voters to rank two candidates, which means that some voters will not be able to express a preference between the final two candidates. Second, the number of possible rankings is equal to the number of candidates raised to the second power. Three candidates lead to nine possible pairings, four candidates lead to 16 pairings, and so on. This adds a large number of options to the ballot and increases the likelihood of voter error. Some ballots simply don’t have sufficient space to use this method.
 

This method is closely related to the pairing method, except that the voter makes separate first and second choices on the ballot. In other words, rather than voting for a pair, the voter casts one vote for his/her first choice and one for his/her second. The ballot can either use one column for each vote or repeat the list of the candidates for each choice.

The voting machine then interprets the voter’s two choices as a pair. It keeps track of running totals for each pair rather than for each candidate. The totals for each pair are then used exactly as in the pairing method.

The advantages of this method are that it is easy for the voter and it does not clutter the ballot. The disadvantages are that it only allows the voter to rank two candidates, and it is unclear which voting equipment is programmable to use this method. Sequoia Pacific reports that its AVC Advantage machine, a push-button DRE, could be programmed for the stored pairs method. The cost of this programming is unknown, however.