[EM] Candidate Vote Transfer Method for Legislative Body Elections, 29 Aug 2000

[DEMOREP1 at aol.com]

Candidate Vote Transfer Method for Legislative Body Elections, 29 Aug 2000
Demorep1 at aol.com

The below might be used for legislative body elections having low tech 
equipment and/or large numbers of illiterate voters.
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[variable items in brackets]

Sec. [1] All election areas shall exist at least [36] weeks before the 
election involved.

[comment- this applies to all elective offices.]

Sec. [2] (a) The [name of legislative body] shall consist of N1 members 
elected [for [N2] year terms] from [not more than] [N3] districts [in even 
numbered years].
(b) Each district shall contain, as nearly as possible, the number of voters 
at the last election [in an even numbered year] in all districts divided by 
the number of districts.

[comment- the N1 number should be an odd number to avoid tie votes when party 
votes of 1 party are near 50 percent of the total votes.

The N1/N3 ratio should be at least 5 to almost guarantee that 2 or more 
members will be elected from each district using [5] below and to reduce 
gerrymanders.

(b) connects to the nominating petitions below.]

Sec. [3] (a) A candidate for or member of a legislative body shall file a 
written rank order list of persons to fill his or her vacancy, if any.
(b) The qualified person highest on the list shall fill any vacancy.
(c) The legislative body shall fill the vacancy if the preceding does not 
happen.

[comment- to do away with special elections for members (and since they are 
being elected in the entire election area)]

Sec. [4] (a) A nominating petition may be signed by registered Electors in an 
election area equal in number to between [0.5] and [2] percent of the number 
of voters in such area at the last election [in an even numbered year], shall 
be filed at least [12] weeks before the election and shall not be withdrawn.
(b) An Elector may sign 1 or more petitions for the same office.
(c) Petition form- (NONPARTISAN) (PARTISAN) NOMINATING PETITION (NUMBER)
I nominate (candidate’s name and address) (of the (political party name)) for 
(office) in (election area) at the (date) election.
(Signature, Name and Address and Date Signed)

[comment- this applies to all elective offices]

Sec. [5] (1) Members of each legislative body shall be elected as follows to 
produce both indirect majority rule and minority representation in such body.
(2) A list of all [legislative body] candidates in all districts shall be 
provided to each candidate who shall rank all the other candidates (using 1, 
2, etc.) and file such list not later than [4] days ([96] hours) before the 
start of voting on election day.
(3) If a candidate (or his or her agent) fails to file such list, then the 
votes for him or her shall not be counted.
(4) Lists shall be made public immediately.
(5) Each Elector may vote for 1 candidate in his or her district.
(6) The total candidate votes in all districts shall be divided by the total 
number of members being elected in all districts (Election Amount). Example. 
2,020,000 / 101 = 20,000 votes.
(7) A candidate getting such Amount shall be elected.
(8) Votes that are more than such Amount shall be surplus votes and shall 
transfer.
(9) After all surplus vote transfers the candidate with the lowest votes 
shall lose and such votes shall transfer.
(10) Surplus votes (starting with the most from a candidate), loser votes 
(from the voters) and loser votes (from a candidate) shall transfer to 1 or 
more unelected highest remaining candidates on the list involved (but not 
more votes than are needed to get the Election Amount).
Example 1. Candidate D is elected with 30,000 votes from the voters (10,000 
surplus votes). 7,925 surplus votes transfer to and elect a candidate on D’s 
list. 2,075 surplus votes transfer to a remaining candidate on D’s list.
Example 2. Candidate Z with 3,500 votes loses. 2,500 votes from the voters 
transfer to a remaining candidate on Z’s list. 1,000 votes from candidate X 
transfer to a remaining candidate on X’s list.
(11) Steps (9) and (10) shall repeat, if necessary, until 1 unelected member 
and 1 candidate remains (who shall be elected).

[comment- (1) is not technically necessary.

The votes for candidates can be ranked relative to an Election Amount (EA) ---

A. More than EA votes (starting with the largest surplus) (elected)

B. Equals EA votes (elected)

C. Less than EA votes (but more than Loser) (unelected remaining candidates)

D. Loser (lowest votes)

Surplus votes from group A candidates (all elected) transfer down to 
remaining unelected candidates (C or D) and elect some (B).

Loser votes transfer up to remaining unelected candidates (C) and elect some 
(B).

Obviously candidates of the same political party would generally vote for 
each other as long as possible (resulting in party seats being nearly 
proportional to party votes) with party/ nonpartisan alliances regarding 
fractional seats.

If there are recall/ removal elections, then they should apply to the entire 
legislative body in view of election process.]
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The above candidate vote transfers could be used for executive and judicial 
office elections in emergency cases (but other election methods such as 
Approval Voting (vote for 1 or more, the highest wins) could be used for such 
offices.)

A simple proxy p.r. method would have the voters ranking their choices (1, 2, 
etc.) with each member having a voting power in the legislative body equal to 
the number of votes that he/she finally receives.  That is, there is no need 
that each member have exactly 1 vote in a legislative body.