[EM] draws in IRV

[LAYTON Craig]

There is usually random selection in the first or last round (I recall a
coin toss being used in one election).  However, there is a little known
rule of mass elimination in Australia, that eliminates all candidates except
the top two in the first round if they poll a certain percentage of the
valid vote (I think it is 90 per cent).  This is intended to save counting
time, as single winner IRV elections are still cast and counted manually
(the old fashioned way, writing numbers in boxes).

In all ties except for the first and last round, you conduct a count back,
where you go to the previous round.  The candidate of the two with the least
votes in the previous round is eliminated (if they are tied in the previous
round, you continue going back to the rounds before that).

-----Original Message-----
From: David Catchpole [mailto:s349436 at student.uq.edu.au]
Sent: Monday, 19 February 2001 8:56
To: martin at myreddice.co.uk
Cc: election-methods-list at eskimo.com
Subject: Re: [EM] draws in IRV

Mostly, the rules call for a random selection.

On Sun, 18 Feb 2001, Martin Harper wrote:

> What is the correct way to deal with draws in IRV - ie, in an election
> between A,B,C,D, where C and D tie for lowest numbers of first place
> votes. Should both C and D be eliminated? Or should one be chosen at
> random for elimination? Or is there some other way to tie-break them?
>
> Thanks,
> Martin