1. 04-05
Factsheet
The Single Transferable Vote in
Northern Ireland
All elections in Northern Background gives electors the ability to
The Single Transferable Vote express preferences not only
Ireland, with the between parties but also
has been in existence since
exception of UK the nineteenth century. It was different candidates of the
Parliamentary general first introduced in Northern same party. There are also
Ireland in 1973 and is used at fewer wasted votes because
elections, use the votes cast for candidates who
local government, Northern
Single Transferable Vote Ireland Assembly and have little prospect of winning
(STV) system of voting. European Parliamentary can still count through a
elections. Within the UK, STV transfer to another candidate.
STV is a form of Unlike the First Past The Post
is used for elections within
Proportional many voluntary organisations (FPTP) system, where political
Representation (PR) and trade unions, and will be parties can win considerable
used at local elections in support and yet still end up
that allows voters to with no representation, STV
Scotland from 2007. STV is
rank candidates in also used for elections to the gives a wider spread of
order of preference. Australian Senate and for all representation which is
elections in the Republic of beneficial to smaller parties.
This factsheet looks at
Ireland, Malta and in Tasmania,
how STV works. where it has been in use for How does STV work?
almost 100 years. On the ballot paper, the voter
puts a ‘1’ in the box next to
Legislation their first preference candidate,
The legislation detailing the a ‘2’ next to their second
conduct of an STV count can preference, a ‘3’ next to their
be found in the Local Elections third preference and so on.
(Northern Ireland) Order 1985. There is no minimum or
Schedule 1 of this Order was maximum number of
substituted for Schedule 5 of preferences that can be
the 1962 Electoral Law Act. marked – the voter just carries
Part 4 of Schedule 1 refers to on until they no longer wish to
the counting of votes. express a preference.
However, the influence of
Why use STV? a vote may be limited if a
Many people favour the STV person chooses to vote for
method of voting because it only a few candidates.
maximises voter choice and
The Electoral Commission Factsheet: The Single Transferable Vote in Northern Ireland Page 1

2. The Electoral Commission Factsheet: The Single Transferable Vote in Northern Ireland
An STV count papers are then transferred to count when those transfers
After the poll has closed, the the candidate for whom the took place.
counting process begins. The next available preference was
ballot papers are sorted into indicated. The ‘transfer value’ is Publications
parcels according to the calculated by dividing the total A New Voting System: Electing
candidate for whom the first surplus to be transferred by the the Northern Ireland Assembly
preference votes have been number of transferable papers. (2000) Electoral Reform
given. The number of first Society
preference votes given to each If a voter has not indicated a
candidate are recorded, along further preference, the ballot Contacts
with the total number of valid papers are deemed to be non- Electoral Office for Northern
and invalid papers. transferable. Ireland (administer elections in
Northern Ireland):
The quota This process is repeated until www.electoralofficeni.gov.uk
The total number of valid ballot all the surplus papers have
papers are then divided by the been transferred. If there are Electoral Reform Society
number of candidates to be still vacancies to be filled, the (includes a model election
elected plus one. So if there candidates with the least outlining the various stages of
are six seats to be filled, the number of votes are excluded an STV count):
total number of valid ballot and any additional surpluses Tel: 202 7928 1622
papers is divided by seven. arising are transferred until the www.electoral-reform.org.uk
The quota (the number of required number of candidates
votes necessary to secure the has been elected. Northern Ireland elections
election of a candidate) is (archive of Northern Ireland
equal to the result plus one. A candidate does not election results):
Any fractions that may arise in necessarily have to reach www.ark.ac.uk/elections
calculating the quota are the quota in order to be
disregarded. An example is elected. Indeed, if many of the Archive on the Northern Ireland
provided below: ballot papers become non- conflict (contains information on
transferable, it may not be elections): www.cain.ulst.ac.uk
Total number of valid votes: possible for the required
9,829 number of candidates to reach
the quota. In that case the
Number of candidates to be candidate or candidates with
elected: 6 the highest number of papers
would be deemed elected.
Quota equals: (9,829 divided
by 7) +1 = 1,405 As soon as the final stage has
been completed, the Deputy
Feedback
When a candidate reaches Returning Officer will declare
Please contact:
the quota, they are deemed the names of those who have
Raymond McCaffrey
elected. been elected and the order in
The Electoral Commission
which they were returned. The
Seatem House
Transfers Deputy Returning Officer will
28-32 Great Alfred Street
When the first preference votes also give public notice of the
Belfast BT2 8EN
for a candidate exceed the number of first preference
Tel: 028 9089 4023
quota, those ballot papers for votes for all candidates, any
Email:rmccaffrey@
that candidate are sorted and transfer of votes, and the total
electoralcommission.org.uk
grouped according to the next number of votes for each
www.electoralcommission.org.uk
preference indicated. The ballot candidate at each stage in the
The Electoral Commission Factsheet: The Single Transferable Vote in Northern Ireland Page 2