Procedures for Counting Votes by the Hare Transferable Vote System

Use one color paper for ballots to be used by clergy and another for those by laity, or otherwise distinguish the two. Voters should put “1” in front of their first choice, “2” in front of their second choice, “3” in front of their third, and so on for as many choices as they wish to express. Do NOT put the same figure in front of more than one name on the same ballot. Do NOT use “X”.

Definitions:

A “Count” is all the operations involved in (a) counting the first choice for candidates, (b) transferring the surplus of an elected candidate, (c) transferring the votes of an excluded candidate.

A “continuing candidate” is one not elected and not excluded from the poll at any time.

The “next available choice” on a given ballot is the next preference in numerical order for a continuing candidate.

A “non-transferable” ballot is one which has no next available choice.

The “lowest candidate” is the one with the fewest votes in each Order, or the one with the critical percentage.

A “critical percentage” is the lowest percentage vote in either Order.

The “critical Order” is the Order in which that critical percentage occurs.

A candidate’s “percentage vote” in either Order is the number of ballots credited at a given time in that Order reduced to a percentage of the valid votes in that Order.

A “percentage surplus” in either Order is the number of ballots over the quota of an elected candidate, reduced to a percentage of the valid votes in that Order.

Part A. For Those Elections In Which There Is A Joint Ballot:

1. Prepare cards (about 6" X 12") with each candidate’s name across the top end and also include cards labeled “non-transferable” and “invalid”. Lay all these cards out on a long table.

Have a Tally Sheet ready with the candidates’ names, “non-transferable”, “invalid”, and “total” listed in the left-hand column. The next columns progressing to the right should be labeled “1st Count”, “2nd Count Transfers”, “2nd Count Total”, “3rd Count Transfer”, “3rd Count Total”, etc., for as many columns as needed.

Cut the marked ballots to separate the various elections.

2. Then, for each election, sort each ballot to the name card of the candidate marked first choice. A ballot is “invalid” if it does not clearly show a first choice. Count the ballots piled on each card, and enter the number to each candidate on the Tally Sheet in the “1st Count” column. This column must add up to the total of valid votes cast. Invalid votes should also be recorded.

3. The number of votes needed for election is the “quota”. Divide the total valid votes cast by the number of positions to be filled plus one. Disregard any fractional remainder, and add one; this result will be the “quota”. (e.g., 250 valid votes, 3 people to be elected, 250 divided by 4= 62 1/2, quota is 63.)

4. Declare “elected” any candidate who has received the quota or more at this count, or any subsequent count. On the Tally Sheet circle the number of his/her votes on this and all later counts to show “elected”.

After this and every subsequent count move all the name cards from the bottom to the top of each pile of ballots, so ballots received later by transfer will not be confused with those already received, before they have been counted. Also, after any count at which a candidate is elected or excluded, turn the name card face down so no ballots will be transferred to her/him later.

5. For the next count take the surplus ballots, those over the quota, of each elected candidate and transfer them to the candidates’ name cards of the next available choice. Take transfer ballots from the bottom of the pile. Mark each of these transferred surplus ballots with the number of the count at which they are transferred. If a ballot shows no next available choice, do not transfer it, as long as there are other ballots that do. Any ballot that has no further available choices is called “non-transferable” and placed in its own separate pile.

On the Tally Sheet in the “_____ Count, Transfers” column enter with a minus sign the number of ballots taken from each elected candidate, and enter with a plus sign the number transferred to any continuing candidate, or to “non-transferable”. The total of the transfers column in every count must be zero.

Perform the arithmetic indicated in Transfers column on the count in the column to its left and enter the result in the new count column to its right. Every Count Total column must add up to the total number of valid votes cast. If, at this point, any additional candidates have received the quota, they are elected, and the number of their votes should be circled on the tally sheet.

6. If any positions remain to be filled, and no elected candidate has a surplus to be transferred, exclude the “lowest candidate” and sort his ballots to the next available choice. Decide ties by excluding the candidate who had the smaller number of votes at the first preceding count at which they were not tied. If they were tied at all counts, decide by lots.

Using the next Transfers and Total columns on the Tally Sheet treat the ballots of the excluded candidate in the same manner as those surplus to an elected candidate, as described in the previous step (5). Any further candidates receiving the quota are “elected”.

7. Continue, repeating as appropriate, steps 4, 5, and 6 until the needed number of persons can be declared elected. If the exclusion of a candidate reduces the number of continuing candidates to the number remaining to be elected, declare these continuing candidates to be “elected”.

Part B. For Those Elections In Which There Is A Ballot By Orders:

1. A double set of candidate name cards, including “invalid” and “non-transferable” will be needed; one set for the Clergy on one side of the table and the other set for the Laity on the other side. Also prepare two Tally Sheets, one for each Order. (Refer to Part 1, step 1.)

2. Carry out the procedures above in Part 1, steps 2 through 7, but with the ballots of each Order separately, and concurrently. It is required to keep together, count by count. Quotas will be figured for each Order. A candidate is declared “elected” whenever, on the same count, s/he receives at least the quota in both Orders.

3. When it is necessary to exclude a candidate, the candidate with the lowest percentage of vote in either Order is the one who is excluded. The exclusion of a candidate means in both Orders.

Explanation of Hare Transferable

The Hare Transferable Vote System is a means of achieving elections without the necessity for multiple ballots. It achieves an election in two ways:

1. By reducing the percentage of votes required to declare an election and

2. By successive transfers of counted votes in a prescribed manner until an election is achieved.

The First step in the counting process is to count the first choice candidates on all ballots. Any candidate who is first choice for the quota number will be elected.

The quota number is the number of valid votes cast divided by the number of positions to be filled plus one and then adding one to the quotient, disregarding any fractions. Any person receiving the quota number of votes is declared elected.

Example: 250 valid votes and 3 people to be elected. Divide 250 by 4 equaling 62.5, then add one to 62 to equal 63, the quota required for election. In a majority election, it would take 126 votes to elect each person to be elected.

For any unfilled positions, the next step is to take from the bottom of the pile of each elected candidate the excess number of ballots over the quota and to transfer those ballots to the next expressed choice on those ballots.

Each transfer ballot is marked with the count number “(1st, 2nd, etc.) count, transfers”.

If there are no further choices expressed on the ballot, the ballot becomes non-transferable and is eliminated from further counting.

If positions remain unfilled after the excess transfers, the lowest ranking candidate in number of votes is eliminated and the ballots being counted for that candidate will be transferred to the next expressed choice. This transfer and elimination process is continued until an election is achieved.

When the election is by Orders, the same process is followed except the ballots of each Order are counted separately, but when the lowest ranking candidate is eliminated that candidate is eliminated from both Orders.

The Hare system is not a majority vote system except when there are only two candidates for one position. In all other elections, less than a majority of votes is required for an election and the larger the number of positions to be filled the smaller the percentage of votes required to achieve an election.

Since it takes less than a majority to fill multiple positions, it is more likely that a diverse group will be elected to fill these positions.