PREFERENTIAL VOTING SYSTEM ICAI (MUST READ)

                                                                  PREFERENTIAL VOTING SYSTEM

Respected Senior in the profession and my dear professional colleagues,

As we all are aware that ICAI elections for Central and Regional Councils are scheduled on 07^th and 08^th December 2012 and therefore I feel it appropriate to share with you information on Preferential voting system being followed by our esteemed Institute.

Our elections are held on the ‘single transferable’ vote system, under which the voter has to indicate the preference about the candidates by inserting the figures 1, 2, 3, etc. against the names of candidates according to his/her preference. Preferential System of Voting is a system of voting in which voters (any member having membership number irrespective of holding COP or not) are allowed to number/rank the candidates in order of preference rather than vote for just one candidate

Illustration explaining the Preferential System of Voting

The following illustration is given on certain assumptions about the number of candidates contesting election, candidates to be elected, votes cast, etc. to explain the procedure for counting of votes under single transferable system of voting:

1. Number of candidates	15
2. Number of candidates to be elected	6
3. Total voters	28500
4. No. of voters who have voted (Valid votes)	21,000
5. Quota for election of a candidate will be  21000*100+1                                  6+1	300001(say 300000)

 

Note: The quota limit equals: [Total votes cast / (Seats + 1)] + 1 vote (fractions are ignored) .For the sakeof simplification, it can be stated that a candidate should get 3000 votes carrying value equal to first preference for getting elected.

Number of first preference votes secured by each candidate is as in table above.

Candidate	First preference
A B C D E F G H I J K L	3300 800 2860 2400  2200                2000                            800  2050  2940   400   500   750
	21000

 First count:

(i) Candidate ‘A’ will be declared elected as he gets more than the required quota of 3000 votes.

(ii) Surplus of 300 votes form her 3300 votes will be transferred to other candidates. For this purpose, the value of surplus votes will be worked out and distributed to candidates who have been marked for second preference.

(iii) If only 3000 out of 3300 voters have exercised their second preference, the value of each surplus vote will work out to 1/10  (300/3000).

On distribution of second preference votes, the position of other candidates will be as under: It is assumed that only ‘C’, ‘D’ and ‘I’ have received these second preferences.

Candidate	Original First Preference	Distribution No. of votes	Surplus from ‘A’  Value @1/10	Total
‘C’	2860	600	60	2920
‘D’	2400	1800	180	2580
‘I’	2940	600	60	3000
		3000	300

(iv) On the above basis, candidate ‘I’ will get elected as he gets 3000 votes on distribution of surplus from ‘A’.

(v) Please note that since only 3000 out of 3300 voters have exercised second preference votes, 300 votes out of her packet have gone waste.

Elimination process:

 Elimination of ‘J’:

(i) Since there are no surpluses with the other candidates, the candidate who has got the lowest number of first preference votes will be eliminated first.

(ii) On this basis, candidate ‘J’ who has secured 400 first preference votes will be eliminated. The candidates, to whom second preference or subsequent preference is marked, will get advantage on distribution of the value of these votes. Let us assume that the second/subsequent preferences are marked as under:

Preferences	‘A’	‘I’	‘C’	‘D’	‘E’	Total
Second	100	100	30	70	100	400
Third	—	—	50 (From ‘A’)	100 (From ‘I’)	50  (From ‘A’)	200

(iii) Since the candidates ‘A’ and ‘I’ are elected earlier, the second preferences given to them will have to be ignored.

(iv) Therefore, the second preferences received by ‘C’ & ‘D’ and ‘E’ will be added to their packets at full value. So far as third preference votes received by them are concerned, each such vote will have 100% value as they are transferred from packets of ‘A’ and ‘I’.

(v) On this basis, the position on elimination of ‘J’ will be as under:

Candidate	B/F Votes	Distribution on elimination of ‘J’ Second Preference (100% value)	Third Preference(100% value)	Total
‘C’	2920	30	50	3000
‘D’	2580	70	100	2750
‘E’	2200	100	50	2350
		200	200

  On this basis ‘C’ will get elected as he gets 3000 votes.

Elimination of ‘K’:

(i) The next candidate to be eliminated will be ‘K’, who has received 500 first preference votes.

(ii) If all voters have marked 2nd preference votes in favor of ‘B’, ‘D’ & ‘H’, the position will be as shown below. Each 2nd preference vote will have 100% value.

Candidate	B/F Votes	Distribution on elimination of ‘K’	Total
‘B’	800	150	950
‘D’	2750	250	3000
‘H’	2050	100	2150
		500

On the above basis ‘D’ will get elected as he gets 3000 votes.

The elected team would now comprise of ‘A’, ‘C’, ‘D’ and so on...

Some members are under the impression that only the ‘first preference’ vote is of value, which is not correct. All the candidates, the value of whose votes is equal to or greater than the quota of specified number of first preference votes are declared elected. The surplus values of the votes of those candidates who have secured more than the quota at the first count are then transferred to the candidates who have secured 2nd and 3rd preferences. It may so happen that a candidate, who gets good first preference votes in the first count, may not succeed in the election if he does not get support from other voters in the form of second or subsequent preferences. An attempt has been made in the illustration above to explain the procedure for counting the votes and for distribution of the proportionate value of various preferences to other candidates. This example will clarify the value and importance of each preference.

So its a humble request to value this preferential system of voting and vote for the change and for the change one need to be in the system.May the best candidates win.

 

With best professional regards

 

Yours Truly

 

 

CA. ASHOK SAWA