METHODS FOi< COUNTINt; IN ELECTIONS. 663 



first and higher preferences before making use of lower pre- 

 ferences." 



When we analyse a ballot paper with the voter's preferences 

 marked upon it, A, i ; B, 2 ; C, 3 ; or A B C, " the effect of the 

 voter's action," says Mr. Pim,* " can be stated as follows : ' I 

 vote for A, and if my vote is not required or is useless for the 

 purpose of electing A, I authorise the returning officer to use 

 it for B. If not required, or useless for B, then he is authorised 

 to use it for C, and so on.' " Evefy ballot paper is alike, there- 

 fore all must be handled alike, each grade of choice on every 

 paper in exactly the same way and with the same consideration. 

 Further, to carry out the voter's wishes, we must give effect to 

 first choices to the greatest extent possible before we make use 

 of second choices, and so on downwards. This is fundamental. 



These itwo necessary principles are embodied by Mr. Pim 

 in his fifth rule, which reads: " (5) As all first preferences are 

 given effect to simultaneously in the first instance, so all the 

 next succeeding preferences must also be given effect to simul- 

 taneously, and similarly with regard to later jireferences." 



When this rule is followed and Hare's quota is used, the 

 members are elected on the highest possible preferences, and 

 the election is over by the use of the highest possible grade of 

 choices. 



Choices are marked merely to enable the vote to be used ; 

 if a first choice on a ballot paper is made effective, no second 

 choice on it need be looked at or considered. If an election can 

 l)e finished on fourth-choice votes, no lower grade of vote can 

 be used, and so on. 



7. Gregory's System of Correct Surplus Distribution. — - 

 When a member gets a surplus of first-choice votes, as these 

 votes are all of the same grade, all equal, each voter has 

 the right to have an equal share of his vote used to give the 

 surplus holder the quota. This is done when Gregory's method 

 of surplus distribution is followed. The unused portion of 

 each vote- is called its " transfer value," because at this value 

 it is passed on to the candidate marked second on the ballot paper. 

 It is passed on, grade by grade, till it can be used. 



The principle of the equality of every vote, whether a first 

 choice vote or a vote transferred as a second, third, or tenth choice 

 vote, is thus carried into effect. The use of Gregory's plan is 

 necessitated by this princi{)le — that every voter's vote must be 

 treated alike, .'^o much for the principle of the equality of every 

 vote. 



Another principle is also involved in Hare's method. Under 

 it we no longer have one uniform class of vote, as in the cases 

 where the single non-transferable vote is used, and counted 

 either by " the relative majority " or " the absolute majority " 

 method. We have now, with the transferable vote, first choice, 

 second choice, third choice votes, etc., all equal, but each grade 



* The Statistical Society of South Africa, Presidential Address, Sep- 

 tember 6, 1909, page 2, paragraph 9. 



