- Mon May 27, 2019 3:50 pm
#576153
In NI all STV counts use fractional transfers to redistribute surpluses. Down south, fractional transfers are only done AFAIK for local elections where the number of ballot papers involved make it more bearable, but in General and EU elections a surplus is distributed by taking all of the ballots that indicated their highest preference for the candidate at the time they were elected, randomise them and then pick out "blind" the number of ballot papers equal to the surplus to be transferred. Whilst not as accurate as fractional transferring, it is a quicker process and it means that all transfers are done in integers.
Personally I'd consider counts for FPTP & D'Hondt to be equivalent to a quick fumble in the back seat of Ford Fiesta, while STV counts are more like a night of passion in a 4 star hotel with plenty of foreplay.
STV counts might be a bit tedious, but it means that there is effectively no wasted vote on any candidate unless the vote becomes exhausted or untransferrable in further counts in the process.Bones McCoy wrote: ↑Mon May 27, 2019 3:32 pmI recall conducting STV counts during my university days.
Tedious in the extreme with all the fractional transfers, and having to explains the system time after time to the many different candidates.
The D'Hondt system is remarkably elegant by comparison - though it makes no attempt to be truly proportional.
I could see it getting used to allocate points for stuff like Scrabble tournaments.
In NI all STV counts use fractional transfers to redistribute surpluses. Down south, fractional transfers are only done AFAIK for local elections where the number of ballot papers involved make it more bearable, but in General and EU elections a surplus is distributed by taking all of the ballots that indicated their highest preference for the candidate at the time they were elected, randomise them and then pick out "blind" the number of ballot papers equal to the surplus to be transferred. Whilst not as accurate as fractional transferring, it is a quicker process and it means that all transfers are done in integers.
Personally I'd consider counts for FPTP & D'Hondt to be equivalent to a quick fumble in the back seat of Ford Fiesta, while STV counts are more like a night of passion in a 4 star hotel with plenty of foreplay.

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