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STATES OF JERSEY
PUBLIC ELECTIONS: SINGLE TRANSFERABLE VOTING SYSTEM (STV) AND AN ALTERNATIVE VOTING SYSTEM (AV) (P.86/2013) – COMMENTS
Presented to the States on 4th September 2013 by the Comité des Connétable s
STATES GREFFE
2013 Price code: A P.86 Com.
COMMENTS
It is for the States Assembly to decide the merits of a Single Transferable Voting System (STV) for multi-member constituencies and an Alternative Voting System (AV) for single-member constituencies. The Comité merely wishes to draw attention to the practicalities so that States members are aware that the results of an election using such voting systems are unlikely to be available on the polling day as has been the case with elections in Jersey to date.
The Single Transferable Voting System permits electors to express their preferences for as many candidates as they wish, although they do not have to rank every candidate. To be elected, candidates need to obtain a "quota" of the votes cast. The quota is determined by the size of the electorate and the number of seats to be filled. Once the quota has been established, the first preference votes for each candidate are counted. If a candidate has achieved more than the quota, then he or she is elected. Surplus preferences are redistributed in proportion to the wishes of the voters and that process continues until all the seats are filled.
Polling stations are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Parish staff and volunteers are already committed to a very long day to ensure an election runs smoothly. STV will require multiple counts, with the results from separate electoral districts having to be totalled to establish whether or not a candidate has been elected and which preferences should thus be redistributed. It is thus unlikely that staff and volunteers will be able to complete the STV count on polling day.
The Alternative Voting system is, in effect, that used for the recent referendum on the Reform of the States Assembly. It might be possible for such a count to be concluded on the polling day, but this would depend upon the turnout, the number of candidates and whether a recount or recounts were required.
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P.86/2013 Com.