Legislative Elections 6/27/96

[DEMOREP1 at aol.com]

Legislative Elections with Combined Choices Tie Breaker
27 June 1996
by DEMOREP1 at aol.com
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Summary Features- head to head combinations, quotas, groups (parties) and
coalitions (groups of parties), combined choices tie breaker, proxy voting. 

Due to the major complexity of the following, it would be much easier just to
repeatedly drop the candidate with the lowest number of first choice votes
(or first choice plus transferred votes) until only N candidates remain (i.e.
no head to head math or quotas). 
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Article ___ 
Legislative Elections

Sec. 1. (a) This Article shall be used for the election of two or more (N)
persons to a legislative body in a district and/or at large.
(b) (1) At least ____ days before the election day for the office 2 of more
candidates may jointly agree in writing to be in a group and 2 or more groups
may jointly agree in writing to be in a coalition. (2) A candidate may only
be in 1 such group. (3) A group may only be in 1 coalition.
[Option- (c) (1) At least ____ days before the election day for the office
each candidate, group or coalition for the office may make public his, her or
its numbered choices in rank order for such office [Suboption- without using
any same numbered choices]. (2) Any such choices shall be given to each
elector with the ballot for such office. (3) Each ballot shall contain a
location whereby an elector may agree with the choices of a candidate, group
or coalition.]

Sec. 2. (a) The ballots shall contain the names of all candidates with the
names of their groups and coalitions, if any.
(b) Each elector may vote 1 for a first choice candidate, 2 for a second
choice candidate, etc. 
[Option- (c) The same choice number may be used more than once.]
[Option- (d) If an elector votes to use the Section 1 choices of a candidate,
group or coalition, then such choices that do not duplicate the elector's
choices shall be deemed to be in order after the elector's choices.]
[Option- (e) Next to the name of each candidate there shall be a location in
which each elector may give an approval percentage to the candidate (100
highest, 0 lowest).]

Sec. 3. A quota shall be a number of votes equal to one plus the quantity
(total number of ballots divided by the quantity N plus 1) (dropping any
fraction).

Sec. 4. Each candidate who gets a quota of first choice votes shall be
elected.

Sec. 5. (a) If a candidate (when combined with any other N minus one
candidates) gets more votes when matched against each other candidate on all
ballots, then he/she shall be elected.
(b) [(1)] In each match the candidate on each ballot having the lowest
numbered choice shall receive one vote. [Option- (2) If two or more
candidates (T) in a match have the same choice number on a ballot, then each
candidate shall receive 1/T vote.]

Sec. 6. (a) If the combined number of first choice votes for the unelected
candidates of a group is a quota or more, then the following shall apply only
to the ballots having first choices for the elected and unelected candidates
of the group.
(b) If an unelected candidate of the group (when combined with the already
elected candidates of the group) gets more votes when matched against each
other unelected candidate of the group, then he/she shall be elected.
(c) [(1)] In each match the candidate on each ballot having the lowest
numbered choice shall each receive one vote. [Option- (2) If two or more
candidates in a match (T) have the same choice number on a ballot, then each
of them shall receive a W/T vote where W is the number of whole shared votes
for such candidates.]
(d) If a candidate is not elected in (b), then the first plus second choice
votes on the ballots shall be combined. 
(e) The unelected candidate, if any, who receives the highest majority of
votes on all ballots shall be elected. 
(f) If necessary, the votes on the next choice level shall be combined with
the votes on preceding choice levels (first plus second plus third, first
plus second plus third plus fourth, etc.). 
(g) After each choice level is added, the unelected candidate, if any, who
receives the highest majority of votes on all ballots shall be elected.
(h) If necessary, the votes on all choice levels shall be combined. 
(i) The candidate with the highest number of votes shall be elected.
(j) If candidates are tied at any choice level in this section, then a
lottery shall be used.
(k) After a candidate is elected, then (a) shall be repeated.
(l) If the first choice votes for the remaining candidates of the group are
less than a quota, then each ballot for such remaining candidate shall be
transferred to the elected candidate of the group having the lowest numbered
choice on the ballot, if any (and be deemed a first choice vote for the
candidate receiving the transferred vote).
[Option- (m) In this section if two or more (C) candidates have the same
choice number on a ballot, then each candidate shall receive a vote of 1/C on
each of the C choice levels involved on that ballot.]

Sec. 7. If the combined number of first choice votes for the unelected
candidates of a coalition is a quota or more, then such candidates shall be
deemed to be in a Section 6 group.

Sec. 8. If one or more positions remain to be filled, then the remaining
first choice ballots shall be deemed to be in a Section 6 group along with
the first choice and transferred votes of the elected candidates.

Sec. 9. If no position remains to be filled, then each ballot shall be
transferred to the candidate having the lowest numbered choice on the ballot,
if any.

Sec. 10. Each member of the legislative body shall have a voting power in the
legislative body, in person, or by written proxy, equal to the number of
votes that the member finally receives.
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Example--- 
Candidates A1, A2, A3, A4, B1, B2, C1, C2, D, E, F
N equals 4. 
Only A2 gets a Section 4 quota. Section 5 fails to elect anyone else. A2, A3
and A4 combined get a Section 6 quota. A3 combined with A2 beat each of A1
and A4. Most first choice votes for A1 or A4 get transferred to A2 or A3.
B1, B2, C1, C2 are in a Section 7 coalition with a quota. C2 is elected. Most
first choice votes for B1, B2 or C1 get transferred to C2. 
The remaining Section 8 first choice votes of A1, A4, B1, B2, C1, D, E, F
elect F. 
Most remaining Section 9 votes get transferred to A2, A3, C2 or F.