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How AV works

In our current First Past the Post (FPTP) election, voters can only cast one vote. Under Alternative Vote (AV) voters fill in a ballot paper by marking their ballot 1, 2, 3 etc. against their most preferred individual candidates. Winning candidates must get more than 50% of the votes as the second and later preferences of the least successful candidates are counted in turn.

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Image an election with 100 voters and 4 candidates:

FPTP


First Past the Post Voting System

Candidate ‘A’ has the most votes and under FPTP he would win.

AV

Alternative Voting Explanation


With AV voters ‘first preferences’ are counted as before. As no candidate has 50% support the last placed candidate, ‘D’ is eliminated, and her supports’ second preferences are transferred to the others.

Still no candidate has 50%, so candidate ‘C’ drops out and his voters’ second choices are transferred.

Alternative Voting Explanation 2

‘B’ emerged with majority support. She wins!