Re: [council] Names Council Elections of ICANN Board Members - Processwith Expert Advice

[Dennis Jennings <Dennis.Jennings@ucd.ie>]

Raul,

Apologies for the delay in replying - I have been away.

When a candidate is eliminated, their votes are inspected.  The 
next preference on each voting paper is noted and the vote 
allocated to that candidate.

So supposing I vote for you and give you my first preference, i.e. 
my number 1 vote, and give my number 2 vote to candidate X.  
Unfortunately (in this example) that is the only no 1 vote you get, 
and you are the candidate with the lowest number of votes, and 
you are eliminated.  In a simple system, my vote would then be 
"lost" and wasted.  However, in STV, my voting paper is examined 
and my next preference (2nd preference in this case) is noted and 
my vote assigned to that candidate - in this example candidate X.  
My vote is not wasted, it is passed from an eliminated candidate to 
my next preferred candidate.

When someone is elected, and has more that enough votes - they 
are said to have a surplus - of votes.  In a simple system these 
surplus votes would be simply thrown away and the votes would be 
"wasted".  In STV, the surplus is redistributed according to the 
average of the next preference of all the votes cast for the 
successful candidate.  Again, no votes are wasted, and the surplus 
votes are used and applied to the next preference candidates.

The result is that every vote counts, and only counts once, and the 
preferences of the voters are taken into account in arriving at the 
final outcome.  It may be that someone who gets a higher number 
of no 1 votes may be overtaken by a candidate with a slightly 
smaller number of no 1 votes, because the overall preference of the 
voters eventually puts the second candidate ahead.

Very sophisticated, elegant mathematically, democratic, and fair - 
especially is making sure that minority voices are heard.  The 
result is representative of the wishes of the whole electorate.  

Dennis

Date sent:      	Thu, 16 Sep 1999 12:41:27 -0300
From:           	Raul Echeberria <raul@inia.org.uy>
Subject:        	Re: [council] Names Council Elections of ICANN Board Members - Process
	with Expert Advice
To:             	"Names Council (E-mail)" <council@dnso.org>

> >The person with the highest number of first preferences (No. 1s) gets seat 
> >A, provided they get the required quota of votes (19 seats divided by (3 + 
> >1) - i.e. 5 votes).  Other candidates from the winner's geographic region 
> >are then eliminated and their votes redistributed for the next stage, in 
> >the usual way and so on.
> 
> Dennis:
> 
> Could you explain me, what does it mean?
> I never have applyed this method in any place. Is absolutely new for me.
> How do you redistribute the votes, the surplus votes, etc.?
> 
> 
> >If nobody reaches the quota on the first count, which is more than likely 
> >if there are many candidates, the candidate with the least votes is 
> >eliminated and his/her votes are redistributed, and this proceeds 
> >repeatedly until someone passes the quota mark.
> >
> >Once a person is elected to Seat A, their surplus of votes is redistributed 
> >according to the next preferences indicated on the votes cast for them. 
> > The next person past the quota get seat B - after which candidates from 
> >seat B winner's region are also eliminated for the next round and their 
> >votes redistributed (always providing there are candidates from other 
> >regions).  Etc.
> 
> >It may sound complicated, but a simple calculation gives the results 
> >immediately.
> 
> 
> Yes, it does. But I'm open to consider it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Raul Echeberria
> raul@inia.org.uy
> 


-------------------------------------------------------
Dennis M. Jennings
Director, Computing Services, University College Dublin.
Address:  Daedalus Building, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
E-mail:  Dennis.Jennings@ucd.ie
Telephone:  +353-(1) 706 7817
Fax:        +353-(1) 706 2362