Single transferable vote

Single transferable vote is a proportional representation voting system used to elect multiple winners in a single election, as seen in the Australian Senate, Irish presidential election, and Maltese general election. This system is designed to minimize wasted votes and provide a more accurate representation of the electorate's preferences, as advocated by John Stuart Mill and Thomas Hare. The single transferable vote system has been used in various forms around the world, including in Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand, with notable implementations in the Scottish local elections and Northern Irish elections. It has also been studied by scholars such as Arend Lijphart and Rein Taagepera.

Introduction

The single transferable vote system is a type of proportional representation system that uses a ranked-choice voting method, similar to the Instant-runoff voting system used in San Francisco mayoral election and London mayoral election. This system allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference, with the goal of electing representatives who are most representative of the electorate, as seen in the European Parliament election and German federal election. The single transferable vote system is often compared to other proportional representation systems, such as the Mixed-member proportional representation system used in New Zealand general election and German federal election, and the Party-list proportional representation system used in Dutch general election and Spanish general election. Scholars such as Douglas Rae and Maurice Duverger have studied the effects of different electoral systems on representation and governance.

History

The concept of the single transferable vote system was first proposed by Thomas Hare in the 19th century, and was later developed by John Stuart Mill and other scholars, including Carl Andræ and André Sainte-Laguë. The system was first used in Australia in the late 19th century, and has since been adopted by several other countries, including Ireland and Malta, with notable implementations in the Tasmanian House of Assembly and South Australian Legislative Council. The single transferable vote system has also been used in various forms in Canada, United States, and United Kingdom, with examples including the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and City of Cambridge, Massachusetts. The system has been studied by scholars such as Enid Lakeman and Robert Newland, who have analyzed its effects on representation and governance.

Mechanism

The single transferable vote system works by having voters rank candidates in order of preference, with the first preference being the most important, as seen in the Irish general election and Australian federal election. The votes are then counted and transferred between candidates based on the voter's preferences, with the goal of electing representatives who are most representative of the electorate, as advocated by David Farrell and Iain McLean. The system uses a quota, such as the Droop quota or Hagenbach-Bischoff quota, to determine the number of votes required for a candidate to be elected, as used in the Scottish Parliament election and Welsh Assembly election. The single transferable vote system can be used to elect a single winner, as in the Irish presidential election, or multiple winners, as in the Australian Senate election and Maltese general election. Scholars such as Peter Fishburn and Steven Brams have studied the mathematical properties of the system.

Example

An example of the single transferable vote system in action can be seen in the Irish general election, where voters rank candidates in order of preference, and the votes are then counted and transferred between candidates based on the voter's preferences, as analyzed by Michael Gallagher and Michael Laver. Suppose there are five candidates, A, B, C, D, and E, and the voter's preferences are as follows: A > B > C > D > E. If candidate A is eliminated, the voter's second preference, B, will receive the vote, as seen in the Australian Senate election and Tasmanian House of Assembly election. This process continues until a candidate is elected, or until all candidates have been eliminated, as studied by Rein Taagepera and Matthew Shugart. The single transferable vote system has been used in various forms in Canada, United States, and United Kingdom, with examples including the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and City of Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Advantages_and_disadvantages

The single transferable vote system has several advantages, including its ability to provide a more accurate representation of the electorate's preferences, as advocated by John Stuart Mill and Thomas Hare. The system also minimizes wasted votes, as voters can rank candidates in order of preference, and their votes will be transferred to their next preferred candidate if their first choice is eliminated, as seen in the Australian Senate election and Maltese general election. However, the system can be complex and difficult to understand, which can lead to voter confusion, as noted by Enid Lakeman and Robert Newland. The single transferable vote system can also lead to instability, as the transfer of votes between candidates can lead to unexpected outcomes, as studied by Douglas Rae and Maurice Duverger. Scholars such as Arend Lijphart and Peter Mair have analyzed the effects of different electoral systems on representation and governance.

Use_in_elections

The single transferable vote system is used in various forms around the world, including in Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand, with notable implementations in the Scottish local elections and Northern Irish elections. The system is also used in Canada, United States, and United Kingdom, with examples including the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and City of Cambridge, Massachusetts. The single transferable vote system has been used in various forms in European Parliament election, German federal election, and Dutch general election, with scholars such as Rein Taagepera and Matthew Shugart studying its effects on representation and governance. The system has also been adopted by several other countries, including Malta and Tasmania, with notable implementations in the Tasmanian House of Assembly and South Australian Legislative Council. The single transferable vote system continues to be an important part of electoral systems around the world, with ongoing research and analysis by scholars such as David Farrell and Iain McLean.

Category:Voting systems