THE TRANSFERABLE VOTE IX ELECTIONS. I73 



a voting paper. On three thousand of "A's" voting papers, sup- 

 pose that "C" stands as next available preference, and that on 

 twc thousand "D" is the next available preference. We have 

 now to find out how many of these 3,000 votes in this sub-parcel of 

 "C's" are to be retained by A towards making up his quota, and 

 how many can be transferred to "C." "A's" share of the whole 

 5,000 votes he got Ts 3,000, three-fifths. We have taken all these 

 5,000 votes and made two parcels of them ; one, "C's" parcel, with 

 3,000 votes ; one, "D's" parcel, with 2,000 votes : out of each parcel 

 we must keep for "A" three-fifths, which is his quota, his share 

 of the 5,000 votes given for him.. Thus "A" will get three-fifths 

 of the 3,000 votes in "C's" parcel — 1,800, which leaves "C" 1,200. 

 "A" also gets three-fifths of the 2,000 in "D's" parcel, 1,200, 

 leaving "D" 800. Both "C's" share and "D's" share are equal 

 to two-fifths of the number of "A's" share, on which they respec- 

 tively had the next available preference. 



Now two-lifths or 5-^ represents the surplus number of 

 available preferences. 



In practice we use this fraction as a multiplying fraction, — 

 . avai.aM^'^^renees ^nd by this fraction that amount of -A's'' 

 total votes, which each candidate receives, as the next available 

 preference, is multiplied, to show what number ofvotes fall to his 

 share. The results above were whole numbers, but often we get 

 fractions in addition to the whole numbers. The rules tell us only 

 to transfer whole votes and to neglect fractions, which necessarily 

 leads to the loss of one vote in every case where fractions occur. 

 In Mr. Taylor's first division he had to divide a non-effective sur- 

 plus of 80 votes among 15 candidates, and 8 votes !\vere lost 

 through this neglect of fractions, only 72 being transferred, and 

 as far as possible made effectvie. 



Sd much for the distribution of original or primary surpluses. 



13. If "D's" sub-parcel, with its 800 votes, added to the first 

 votes he got, which are in his original parcel, give him a surplus, 

 he retains only that number of the transferred votes, 750, which 

 will give him the quota, the remaining part, 50 of "A's" original 

 surplus, of which he received 800, being passed on in the same way 

 as before to those candidates who now occupy the place of next 

 preference. This is merely a continuation of the distribution of 

 "A's" surplus, in which "D's" original first votes have no con- 

 cern whatever. Such is the method of transfer of surpluses, 

 secondary as well as original or primary. 



14. The distribution of the minority non-effective votes is 

 a very simple matter. When all surplus votes have been dis- 

 tributed we take the candidate lowest on the poll — in our supposed 

 case "G," and as his chances of being returned are lower than 

 those of any other candidate we exclude or eliminate him, and dis- 

 tribute his votes according to the next available preference 

 expressed on each of his voting cards. 



15. This process is continued till we have only one more 

 continuing candidate than the number of unelected members. At 

 Johannesburg, after the 15th transfer, there were four continuing 

 candidates, while three members had still to be elected. The 



