44 Proportional Representation. 



candidates in the order in which they are indicated, the 

 parcel we have to select from might contain papers such as 



APSBRCTD 



ABPSCRTD 



ABPSCEDT 



Accordingly, one more process of differentiating the papers 

 must be described. The parcel we have to select from 

 is broken up into two, the first parcel consisting of papers 

 in which the second indicated name is that of a not-elected 

 candidate; the second consisting of papers in which the 

 second indicated name is that of an elected candidate. 



As before, we now transfer the whole of the first parcel, 

 if we can do so without surpassing the number to be trans- 

 ferred, and break up the second parcel according to third 

 indicated names on the plan just described; or we may 

 have to break up the first parcel in that way. This process 

 can be continued, if necessary, until it exhausts itself ; and 

 in that event the papers in the parcel we have to select 

 from will be all exactly alike, so that we can take exactly 

 as many papers as we want without the exercise of any dis- 

 cretion. 



This, then, brings us to the end of a uniform and syste- 

 matic process for distributing surplus. We see, then, that 

 unless one or more of the numbers Al, Bl, &c, be greater 

 than the quota, every surplus can be completely distributed 

 by this process. Let us assume, then, for the present, that 

 such cases will not occur. Then, after distributing the sur- 

 plus of every elected candidate by the process just described, 

 we must ascertain the number of papers in the heaps of the 

 unelected candidates, P, Q, &c. These numbers are at once 

 ascertained by adding up the numbers in the different 

 columns of Table II. If any candidates are now raised above 

 the quota, we must apply again the same process of dis- 

 tributing surplus, and repeat the process until a distribution 

 has been made which does not give rise to a fresh election. 

 After this, the candidate who is now lowest on the poll 

 must be excluded; all papers in his heap, which can be so 

 transferred, must be transferred to not-elected candidates; 

 those which cannot be so transferred, but which can be 

 transferred to elected candidates, must be so transferred; and 

 the remainder, if any, being lost, must be withdrawn from 

 the election and a new quota determined. If by this process 

 any candidate be raised above the quota, the process of 



