User:Lankiveil/IRV proposal example

Say there are four parties: A, B, C and D.

The parties order their preferences as follows:

A: B, C, D B: C, D, A C: B, A, D D: B E: C

The votes are thus:

A: 600 B: 500 C: 100 D: 400 E: 50

No party has more than 50% of the vote, so party "E", with the least, is eliminated. Their first preference is party C. The totals are thus:

A: 600 B: 500 C: 100 (+50) = 150 D: 400 E: --

Still, nobody has 50% of the votes. Party "C" is therefore eliminated. The votes of party "C" are transferred to party "B". The votes of party "E" have nowhere else to go, and are eliminated. The totals become:

A: 600 B: 500 (+100) = 600 C: -- D: 400 E: --

Nobody has 50%. Party "D" is eliminated.

A: 600 B: 500 (+100) (+400) = 1000 C: -- D: -- E: --

Party B has more than 100% of the remaining votes, and is therefore elected.