ICAI Elections 2012: In brief about "Single Transferable Voting System"
- Under the "Single Transferable Voting System", the voter has to indicate his preference about the candidates by mentioning figures 1,2,3 etc on ballot paper, against the names of the candidate, according to preference of voter.
- In first round a candidate who secures votes more than "Quota", get elected.
- Quota is calculated as: Valid votes casted in region / number of candidates to be elected +1. E.g. valid votes casted in region are 32200, then 'Quota' for WIRC (22 candidates to be elected) will be 1400 (i.e. 32200/23) and 'Quota' for Council (11 candidates) will be 2683 (i.e. 32200/12).
- In first round the candidates who has secured first preferences equal to or great than 'Quota' are declared as elected and votes excess votes above 'Quota' are transferred to other candidates at proportionate value.
- Elimination Round: After transfer of excess votes of winning candidates; the elimination process gets started. The candidates who has secured lowest votes amongst the balance candidates gets selected for 'elimination' and his votes are transferred to other candidates at 'full value' who has secured '2nd etc' preference in the ballot of candidates under elimination. The elimination process continues upto the balance candidate becomes equal to the 'number of candidates to be elected'. E.g. number of candidates to be elected for WIRC are 22 and for council 11.
- The Myth No.1: Giving second or latter preferential votes 'jeopardizes' the position of 'candidate' to whom the '1st preference' is given or the latter preferential votes makes the other candidate parallelly stronger and 'jeopardizes' position of 'candidate' to whom the '1st preference' is given.
Fact 1: Some members are under the impression that, only the 'first preference' vote is of value. However, this understanding is not correct. A candidate is required to obtain only a specific number of 'first preference votes' (i.e. 'Quota') to get himself 'elected'. If the first preference votes obtained by candidate are more than "Quota", then the excess votes are transferred at proportionate value, to the candidates who have secured 2nd etc preference in said ballot paper. Therefore, if the voter exercises only first preference and do not mark subsequent preference and that candidates gets votes more than "quota", the balance of votes gets wasted. However, if latter preferences are given, then the excess votes are transferred at proportionate value to candidate, who has secured 2nd etc, preference in said ballot paper. E.g. if the Quota is 1400 and if the candidates gets 1600 votes then the excess 200 votes are transferred at proportionate value 12.50% (i.e. 200/1600). If some candidate has secured 300, 2nd preference out of 1600 ballots, then, the proportionate votes will be transferred to said candidate will be 37.50 votes (300 x 12.50%).
Fact 2: Further, if the candidate gets eliminated in elimination process and if the voter exercises only first preference and do not mark subsequent preference and then, such votes gets wasted. However, if latter preferences are given then said votes are transferred to candidate who has secured 2nd preference in ballot paper, at 'full value'. E.g. if the candidate under eliminated has secured 700 and in said 700 ballots the 2nd preference is secured by 'A' (in 200 ballots), 'B' (in 350 ballots) and 'C' (in 150 ballots); then the 200, 350 and 150 votes will be transferred to 'A', 'B' and 'C' respectively at full value.
- Lesson: It is therefore, important to note that, a voter should not select only one candidate of his choice, but should select as many candidates as possible and mark his preferences for such candidates. It may be noted that, by exercising second or subsequent preferences, the position of the candidate to whom the first vote is given will not be 'jeopardised'. In fact it will help the voter to get at least one of the candidate of his choice gets elected.
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CA.C.V.PAWAR
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