Home > 3.2 Proportional systems > Report on Proportional Electoral Systems: The Allocation of seats inside the lists (open/closed) lists
 
 
 
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Paragraph 52
 

In both countries, the voter indicates his/her order of preference amongst all the candidates in the constituency whether allied to a political party or not. The total number of valid papers is ascertained, and from that figure the electoral quota is calculated, by the Droop formula. Candidates who obtain a number of first preferences equal to or greater than this quota on the first count are declared elected. If no candidate has reached the quota, the candidate who received the lowest number of votes is eliminated and his/her votes are transferred to the candidate for whom a second preference is recorded. If a candidate receives more than the quota required for election, the surplus votes are transferred proportionately to the remaining candidates in accordance with the subsequent preferences expressed by the voters. When the number of remaining candidates neither elected nor eliminated equals the number of vacancies to be filled, those candidates are declared elected, although they may not have reached the quota.