Single transferable vote: Difference between revisions

When promoted as a [[proportional representation]] method in multi-party multi-seat elections, it is generally known as '''Proportional Representation through the Single Transferable Vote''' or '''PR-STV'''. When a similar method is applied to single-seat [[elections]] it is sometimes called ''[[instant-runoff voting]]'' or the ''alternative vote'', and has different proportionality implications for a similar ballot. In both systems of voting the ballot choices represent an [[Preferential_voting|ordinal ranking of preferences]], but an "instant runoff" for only one position or measure is a simple calculation.

* [[Australia]], for the [[Australian Senate|Senate]] [http://www.eca.gov.au/systems/proportional/proportion_rep.htm] and for one or other of the state houses.

* [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]], for all elections [http://www.rte.ie/news/dailguide/prsystem.html]

* [[Malta]], for all elections [http://www.maltadata.com]

* [[New Zealand]] [http://www.stv.govt.nz], where STV is being used for the first time for district health board and some local authority elections in October 2004

* [[Northern Ireland]], for local, [[Northern Ireland Assembly|Assembly]] and [[European Parliament|European]] elections

* The [[United States]], where the only official governing bodies that use STV to elect representatives are the City Council and School Committee of [[Cambridge, Massachusetts]].

STV enjoyed some popularity in the United States in the first half of the 20th Century. The community school boards of the City of [[New York City|New York]] [http://ccrc.wustl.edu/~lorracks/projects/techreport/subsection3_4_4.html] used STV until they were abolished in 2002.

The method used for electing the Legislative Assemblies of [[Tasmania]] and the elections in the province of [[Alberta]], [[Canada]] from [[1926]] to [[1955]].

[[British Columbia]] will decide in 2005 by referendum whether to adopt STV to replace its current [[First Past the Post]] electoral system, after a recommendation of STV [http://www.citizensassembly.bc.ca/public/news/2004/10/dmaclachlan-3_0410241345-701] by the [[Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform (British Columbia)|Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform]].

Some non-governmental organisations also use STV. For instance, all [[National Union of Students of the United Kingdom]] elections and those of their constituent members are under the system.

An early proponent of STV was [[John Stuart Mill]], who praised it in "On Representation." In the "English Constitution" [[Walter Bagehot]] praised the Hare system for allowing everyone, even ideological minorities, to elect an MP, but said that the Hare would create more problems than it solved. "[the Hare system] is inconsistent with the extrinsic independence as well as the inherent moderation of a Parliament - two of the conditions we have seen, are essential to the bare possibility of parliamentary government."