Improving Student
Government Elections
September
2001
This is a six-page guide to using
instant runoff voting for student council
elections. It consists of:
It is also available
for download in the following formats:
-
-
.rft file
that most word processors can open, and
-
If you have any trouble downloading or opening the
file, send a message to [email protected]
and we will send you the file in another format.
Improving Student Government Elections
Most student council elections use
the plurality voting system: each voter picks one candidate, and the
candidate with the most votes wins. This system, though widely
used in the United States, has a serious flaw: a
candidate who is opposed by a majority of the voters can be
elected!
The flaw appears when three or more candidates
run for an office and the majority split their votes between two
candidates, allowing a less-preferred third candidate to win.
Robert�s Rules of Order strongly recommends against using the
plurality system in favor of �preferential voting� or, as it is more
commonly known in the U.S., �instant runoff voting.�
Instant runoff voting is used in governmental
elections around the world � most notably in London, Australia and
Ireland � as well as in numerous American organizations (including
the American Political Science Association). There are also bills pending
in the Vermont legislature and 12 other states to adopt instant
runoff voting.
How instant runoff voting
works
Instead of picking just one candidate, each voter
is allowed to rank the candidates in order of preference � first
choice, second choice and so on. First, you count the number
of first choice votes for each candidate. If one candidate has a
majority, that candidate is elected. If
there is no initial majority winner, the candidate with
the fewest votes is eliminated, and another round of counting takes
place. In each round,
your vote counts for your favorite candidate who is still in the
race. The process of
eliminating the weakest candidate and recounting the ballots
continues until one candidate receives a majority.
In each round, each ballot counts for the voter�s
favorite candidate who is still in the running. If your favorite candidate
is still in the race, your ballot stays with that candidate. If your favorite candidate
is eliminated, your ballot automatically counts for your next
choice.
Instant runoff voting determines the candidate
supported by the majority of voters, and it reduces negative
campaigning, since winning may require second choice votes from
opponents� supporters.
The Center can also assist with voting systems better suited for electing multiple
candidates. Please
contact us for assistance.
The
Center for Voting and Democracy (301) 270-4616 irv
@ fairvote.org www.fairvote.org
Conducting an Instant Runoff
Election is Easy
All you
have to do is: 1) Create the ballots, 2) Instruct the
students how to vote, 3) Sort the ballots by first-choice
votes, 4) If there is no majority winner, successively
eliminate the weakest candidates and count their voters� runoff
choices until one candidate receives a majority.
1) Create the
ballots
The ballots must allow voters to indicate at least
first, second and third choice candidates. If you have more than
5 candidates, you may want to allow voters to rank all the candidates,
but giving at least 3 choices is usually sufficient.
Note 1. Below you will find two
sample ballot styles that including instructions.
2) Instruct the
students how to vote
Voters should be directed to follow the
instructions on the ballot and simply indicate their first choice
candidate, their second choice candidate, and so on. They are free to vote for as
many or as few candidates as they like, but they should vote for as
many candidates in order of preference as they support, since
ranking additional candidates cannot hurt the chances of electing
their favorites.
There is no way to vote strategically or
manipulate the system.
The best strategy for every voter is to sincerely rank
candidates in the order of preference.
Note
2. Voters should be discouraged
from ranking the same candidate first and also second, in hopes of
helping that candidate more.
That doesn�t work because a ballot only counts for your
second choice candidate after your first choice candidate has been
eliminated. But if your first and second
choice candidates are the same, your vote won�t count for anyone
once that candidate is out of the running.
3) Sort the
ballots by first choice vote
Examine each ballot to make sure that it is
properly filled out. In all cases, try to honor the intent of the
voter if it is clear. Only disregard a ballot if the voter's intent
is not clear, such as by listing two candidates for first choice, or
is obviously a joke (such as writing in �Mickey Mouse�). These are called �spoiled
ballots.�
As you examine and interpret the ballots, sort
them according to the first choice rankings only. This will leave
you a pile of ballots for each candidate. Count the number of votes
in each pile, and record the totals on your tally sheet. The sum of all of the valid
votes (excluding blank and spoiled ballots) determines the base
number from which the majority threshold is calculated (more than
half). If any candidate has received a majority of the valid votes,
that candidate is elected.
Note 3. A majority means more than
50% of the non-exhausted valid ballots. A majority of 6 votes is 4
(50% of 6 = 3, and a majority is more than 3, which means
4). A majority of 7
votes is also 4 (50% of 7 = 3.5, and a majority is more than
3.5, which means 4.
4) Successively
eliminate the weakest candidate
If no candidate has a majority, pick up the pile
of ballots for the weakest candidate (the candidate with the fewest
votes), and redistribute them to each voter�s next-ranked candidate
on the ballot who is still in the race. Record the new totals for
each candidate in the next column of the tally sheet, noting that
the new total for the eliminated candidate is zero.
Note 4. As you
redistribute the ballots from the eliminated candidate to each
voter�s next choice candidate, cross out the name of the eliminated
candidate to avoid getting confused about which candidate the ballot
counts for. This eliminated candidate can't receive any new
votes during subsequent rounds. If a ballot being moved from
another eliminated candidate in a subsequent round lists
this eliminated candidate second, instead move that
ballot to the third choice
of the voter,
and so on. A ballot can only go to a pile
of a candidate who is still in the running.
If a ballot doesn't rank any more candidates
still in the race or lists two candidates as second choices, the
ballot is declared �exhausted,� and goes in a new pile. Record the total number of
exhausted ballots on the tally sheet where indicated. These ballots
are not counted during the remainder of the election, the same as if
that voter had declined to vote in a regular runoff election. After
you eliminate the weakest candidate, determine if any candidate now
has a majority of the ballots that rank candidates still in the
race.
Note 5. The majority threshold
can get smaller if there are some exhausted ballots, which reduces
the base number for calculating a majority.
If there is still no majority winner, eliminate
the candidate that is now the weakest and repeat the process.
Note 6. The new weakest
candidate may not be the same candidate you expected, because the
next weakest candidate in the initial count may have picked up
enough votes during the last redistribution to move ahead of some
other candidate.
Note 7. In each round you
redistribute ballots to the NEXT choice of the voter whose favorite
candidate has been eliminated as long. If a voter�s first choice
candidate is eliminated, the ballot counts for the voter�s second
choice. If the voter�s
second choice candidate is also eliminated, the ballot counts for
the third choice.
One candidate will eventually receive a majority
of the ballots that are not exhausted.
Note 8. If two or more
candidates are tied for weakest candidate (and thus elimination),
flip a coin to determine whom to eliminate. Such candidates have an
equally low amount of support, so are equally deserving of
elimination. Ties in
large government elections are extremely rare, but in small school
elections they do occasionally occur. However, ties are no more
likely to affect the outcome of an IRV election than a plurality
election. In an IRV
election, once you eliminate one of the tied candidates, you usually
eliminate the other one in the next round, so the tie doesn�t affect
the outcome of th election.
Sample Instant Runoff Voting
Ballot
We recommend using the following ballot. It has simple instructions,
and voters simply write the names of the first choice candidate,
second choice candidate and so on. If you do not have time to
print up ballots with the names of candidates on them, you can print
up ballots without the names and then write the candidates on the
blackboard. It is a
good idea to pass out filled-out sample ballots with made-up names,
showing the proper way to mark the ballot.
Official Ballot (recommended
format)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Vote by writing the name of your first choice candidate,
second choice candidate and so on. You may vote for as many or
as few candidates as you like.
1st Choice:
__________________ 2nd Choice:
__________________ 3rd Choice:
__________________ 4th Choice:
__________________
Candidates (listed in alphabetical
order):
Jennifer Ackerman Ashley Davis Trevor
Jackson-Weiss Jose Sanchez Jason
Wong |
Below is another ballot format. Voters
circle the number �1� next to their first
choice candidate, the number �2� next to their second choice candidate and
so on. With this ballot, it is possible for voters to
spoil their ballots if they circle more than one number next to a
candidate, or circle the same number next to two candidates. That�s why we recommend the
above ballot, but voters rarely have any trouble with either
ballot.
Official Ballot (alternative
format)
INSTRUCTIONS: Vote by ranking the
candidates in order of preference. Circle the �1� in
front of your favorite choice, circle the �2� for your second
choice, the �3� for your third choice, and so on. Don�t give the same
number to more than one candidate, and don�t give any
candidate more than one ranking.
Ranking
Candidate
1
2
3 4
Jennifer Ackerman 1
2
3
4
Ashley Davis 1
2
3
4
Trevor Jackson-Weiss 1
2
3
4
Jose Sanchez 1
2
3
4
Jason Wang |
Instant Runoff
Election Tally Sheet
Office: ___________ Date:
________ Counted
by: __________
Candidates� Names |
First Round |
Second Round |
Third Round |
Fourth Round |
Fifth Round |
A.
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B.
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C.
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D.
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E.
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F.
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G.
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Total Valid Votes
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Majority
Threshold More than half of
valid votes
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Exhausted Ballots
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Instant Runoff
Voting: An
Example
In Mrs. Hescock�s sixth grade class, the 30
students elected a class president. There were 3
candidates: Susannah
Benson, Angelina Chang and Jamal Frederickson. Below is a copy of the
ballot as well as the tally sheet used to determine the winner.
Official Ballot: Class
President
INSTRUCTIONS:
Vote by writing the name of your first choice candidate,
second choice candidate and so on. You may vote for as many or
as few candidates as you like.
1st
Choice:
__________________
2nd Choice:
__________________ 3rd Choice:
__________________
Candidates (listed in alphabetical
order):
Susannah
Benson Angelina Chang Jamal
Frederickson |
To count the votes, all the ballots
were sorted by first choice votes, and each candidate�s votes were
totaled. Jamal
had the most votes in the first round:
1st Round Results
Candidate
Votes Jamal
12 Angelina
10 Susannah
8
Valid votes
30 Exhausted
0 |
2nd Round Results
Candidate
Votes Jamal
13 Angelina
16 Susannah
--
Valid votes
29 Exhausted
1 |
In the second round, there were 29
valid votes. A majority
of 29 is 15 votes, so Angelina was elected. If
plurality voting had been used, Jamal would have been elected, even
though a majority of the voters preferred Angelina.
Here�s what the tally sheet looked like after
finishing the election.
Candidate |
First Round |
Second Round |
Jamal |
12 |
13 |
Angelina |
10 |
16 � winner |
|
8 |
-- |
Total Valid Votes |
30 |
29 |
Majority |
16 |
15 |
Exhausted |
0 |
1 |
Robert�s Rules of Order Newly Revised,
Chapter XIII
�45. 10th
edition, 2000, pp. 411-414, recommends instant runoff
voting ��it makes
possible a more representative result than under a rule that a
plurality shall elect.�
��this type of preferential ballot
is preferable to an election by plurality��
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