Voters have two votes, a first and a second
(supplementary vote)
First choice votes counted
If a candidate wins 50% of the vote, they are elected
If no candidate reaches 50%, the supplementary votes are
added to the top two candidates totals
The other candidates are eliminated and any
supplementary votes for the remaining two are added to
their totals.
The candidate with the most votes altogether wins
Single member constituency
Advantages
Ensures fewer voes are wasted
than with FPTP
As winning candidates must gain 50%
support, a broader range of views and
opinions influence outcome
Disadvantages
The outcome of the election may be determined by the
preferences of those who with their first choices support small,
possibly extremist parties
Winning candidates could enjoy little first preference support and only
succeed with the help of redistributed votes, making them only the least
popular of the final two candidates