A description of FPTP vs STV using Skittles

1. Welcome to Skittlevania

2. We’re going to have a First Past The Post election.

3. And we have our winners!

4. The orange Skittles won in three ridings with less than half the vote. The yellow Skittles got more votes than the orange Skittles but won fewer ridings.

5. Only the circled Skittles have representation. If only 1 orange Skittle changes to yellow in each riding then all 5 ridings would elect yellow Skittles.

6. Lets try again under STV We have 64 votes and we need to elect 5 MLA’s.

7. We work out the quota (number of votes/(number of MLA’s + 1)) +1 64 votes / (5 MLA’s +1) +1 = 11 votes to elect one MLA

8. Notice how more Skittles now have representation. Any Skittle can talk to any MLA and all of the ridings will have an MLA from the government.