26 QUOTA IN PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION, II., 



R.S. TAS. 



Multiple Transferable Vote Systems. 



66. In these systems a voter gives equal votes to a num- 

 ber of candidates less than the number of members to be 

 elected, and marks other candidates in an order of pref- 

 erence. The name " multiple transferable vote " 

 describes such systems ; but they might also be called 

 "limited vote systems with preferential voting." 



67. To appreciate the relation of the multiple transfer- 

 able vote to other systems used in many-membered con- 

 stituencies, the following arrangement of these systems 

 in order of development will be useful : — 



(a) The single non-transferable vote. This is used 



in Japan. (^^). 



(b) The single transferable vote. 



(c) The limited vote, in which an elector gives 



equal votes to a number of candidates 

 less than the number of members to be 

 returned. The limited vote was used in 

 England from 1867 to 1885 in thirteen three- 

 member constituencies and one four-member 

 constituency. (^^) 



(d) The limited vote with preferential voting, or 



the multiple transferable vote. 



(e) The block vote, or scrutin de Jiste, in 



which an elector votes for as many candi- 

 dates as are to be elected. This is the sys- 

 tem used for the Federal Senate. The block 

 vote (with the modification that the elector 

 might vote for fewer than the number to be 

 elected) was used in Tasmania for the House 

 of Assembly from 1856 to 1870 in one five- 

 member constituency and one three-member 

 constituency, and from 1885 to 1896 in eight 

 two-member constituencies. 



Of these, the single transferable vote gives approxi- 

 mately proportional representation (§§ 6-21); the single 

 untransferable vote and the limited vote give representa- 

 tion to minorities, but not in proportion to their strengths ; 

 while the multiple transferable vote, with suitable rules, 

 gives, as is shown below, the same approximation to pro- 

 portional representation as the single transferable vote. 



(") See .1. JI. llaui])hre}S, Pniixirt'ntittil Hcprcfcnt atio/i {}^o\u\ox\. 1!)11) 

 pp. 28:3-y. 



(") Benoist (s«'e§Gl) collectis otliei- instances of the use of tlie limited 

 vote ([). 13). 



