Single Transferable Vote Explained

Up next in our Electoral Systems series is the Single Transferable vote.

Read the previous instalment, Alternative Vote Explained, if you haven't already.

As before here is a video from CGP Grey, again looking at the Animal Kingdom and then below the impact on the General Election 2015.

Single Transferable Vote

STV is a form of Proportional Representation. It is used in European Elections, Elections in Northern Ireland and the Scottish Local Elections among others. It works by asking electors to rank candidates using numbers. When the votes are counted, a formula is used to determine the winning percentage of votes. The votes are counted and any surplus votes are reallocated and then the process of eliminating the loser continues until all seats are filled. STV works best on Multi Member Constituencies.

The 2015 Election Under STV

Had the 2015 General Election been run under STV the results would have been slightly different to the FPTP results.

• Conservatives: 276
• Labour: 236
• Lib Dems: 26
• SNP: 34
• UKIP: 54
• Green: 3
• Others: 21