Preferential Voting Essay ⋆ Political Science Essay Examples ⋆ EssayEmpire

Preferential voting occurs within the framework of a particular type of ballot structure, used in both single-winner and multiple-winner elections around the world. Examples include the alternative vote and single transferable vote systems. Unlike nonpreferential ballots where voters mark an X or checkmark next to their preferred candidate(s), preferential ballots have an ordinal structure, requiring that voters rank candidates in order of preference. Within this framework, voters mark a 1 next to their first choice candidate, 2 next to their second choice, 3 next to their third choice, until the required number of preferences are exhausted.

In determining the election outcome, ballot counting incorporates not only the votes for those ranked with 1, but also includes the rankings that follow. In the alternative vote system, for example, a candidate requires 50 percent or more of voters’ support to win the race. If no candidate wins 50 percent of first preference votes, then the candidate with the fewest votes is dropped, and the second preferences on the dropped ballots are reallocated to all of the remaining candidates, and so on, until a candidate obtains more than 50 percent of the votes. Proponents of preferential systems argue that they allow for greater voice and participation for those preferring third party candidates and minority parties, whose votes would be “wasted” under other systems, since although their first choice candidate may not win the race, the preferences remaining on their ballots are transferred, and will play a role in the outcome of the election.

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