Candidate Vote Transfer Proportional Representation Method 20 April 2002 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[optional/ fill the blank] Sec. 1. (a) A legislative body shall have 5, 7, 9, etc. at large members or 11, 15, 21, etc. district members respectively from 2, 3, 4, etc. districts [or a combination of each] elected for [1] year terms. (b) As nearly as possible, each district shall contain an equal number of Electors at the last [area] Election (plus or minus [1] percent), consist of 1 or more political subdivisions and/or parts of 1 or 2 political subdivisions and be square. (c) All election areas shall be formed at least [36] weeks before the Election. Sec. 2. Each candidate shall file a nominating petition at least [10] weeks before the Election signed by at least [0.2] percent [but not more than [0.6] percent] of the number of at the last [area] Election [OR] [registered Electors [36] weeks before the Election] divided by the number of persons being elected. Sec. 3. (a) Each candidate shall get a list of all candidates at least [14] days before an election. (b) Each candidate shall rank all the other candidates (using 1, 2, etc.) and file such list not later than [4 P.M.] [7] days before the election. (c) The lists shall be made public immediately at such deadline. (d) If a list is not filed, then the votes for the candidate shall not be counted. . Sec. 4. (a) Each Elector may vote for 1 at large or district candidate for each legislative body. (b) The Ratio shall be Total Votes for all candidates divided by the Total Members (dropping fractions). (c) Each candidate getting the Ratio shall be elected. (d) The excess votes more than such Ratio shall be transferred (or re-transferred) to 1 or more unelected candidates highest on the elected candidate's rank order list (starting with the largest excess). (e) The candidate with the lowest number of direct plus transferred votes shall lose. (f) The votes for a loser shall be transferred (or re-transferred) to 1 or more unelected candidates highest on the losing candidate's rank order list. (g) The transferred votes in (d) or (f) to any 1 unelected candidate shall not be more votes than are needed to get such Ratio. (h) Steps (c) to (g) shall be repeated until all members are elected. [(i) Each Member shall have a voting power equal to the number of final votes that he/she receives.] Sec. 5. (a) A candidate or member may file a written rank order list of persons to fill his/her vacancy, if any. (b) The qualified person highest on the list shall fill the vacancy. (c) The legislative body shall fill the vacancy if the preceding does not happen. ------ Party Members variant ---- quicker (but more inaccurate) Secs. 1-3 Same as above. Sec. 4. (a) Each Elector may vote for 1 at large or district candidate for each legislative body. (b) Independent candidates shall be deemed to be in a party. (c) The Ratio shall be Total Votes for all candidates divided by the Total Members (dropping fractions). (d) If a party's candidates get less than the Ratio, then such candidates shall all lose (starting with the party with the lowest votes). (e) Such votes shall be transferred (or re-transferred) to the unelected candidate(s) highest on the rank order lists of the losing candidates. (f) Steps (d) and (e) shall be repeated until all members are elected. (g) A party shall get members (M) equal to --- the Total Members multiplied by the votes for all the party's candidates (Party Votes) divided by the Total Votes for all candidates (using [the Method of Equal Proportions] OR [the highest fractions] for fractions). (h) The M candidates getting the highest votes of each respective party shall be elected. [(i) Each Member shall have a voting power equal to the party's final Party Votes multipled by the Member�s votes divided by the total votes for all of the party's elected Members (using the Method of Equal Proportions for fractions).] Sec. 5. Same as Sec. 5 above. --- The above is for lower tech areas and/or having simpler politics. In higher tech election areas, the voters can make additional choices (2, 3, etc.) and have voter vote transfers (instead of using candidate rank order lists for vote transfers). There happens to be a very strong (but wrong) fixation with having 1 vote per seat in legislative bodies. A candidate will directly (or indirectly) get more than, equal to or less than the Total Votes/ Total Members ratio (aka Hare Quota). Thus -- the excess votes from winners (or votes from losers) go to 1 or more unelected remaining candidates (with less than the Hare Quota) until all candidates are elected or lose. Candidates of a party will presumably rank each other highest and then candidates of other coalition parties, if any. Note- the Method of Equal Proportions produces a rank order list of (Party Votes x Party Votes)/ (Seats x (Seats + 1)) (for Seats = 1, 2, etc.) to apportion seats/ members. The MEP is used to apportion the 435 seats/ members in the U.S.A. House of Representatives among the States using Census Populations of the States after each State gets 1 seat/ member. Proxy p.r. permits districts with an unequal number of voters per district (to have obvious district boundaries --- political subdivision lines, major roads, rivers, mountain ranges, etc.) and avoids excess Ratio vote transfers. Each proxy p.r. winner has a voting power equal to the number of votes that he/she finally receives (directly from the voters or from transfers from the voters or losing candidates) -- especially for use in smaller legislative bodies since the final votes per member will likely be unequal. That is, transferring excess Ratio votes is arbitrary and may often be contrary to the will of the voters. Also with proxy p.r. there is no minimum number of votes required to win a seat. ---- For more information about this list (subscribe, unsubscribe, FAQ, etc), please see http://www.eskimo.com/~robla/em
