First Past the Post (FPP) or Single Transferable Vote (STV)

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First Past the Post (FPP) or Single Transferable Vote (STV)

Election system set for 2010

Every six years the Nelson City Council has the opportunity to consider which electoral system it will use in the next two local elections. Currently, Nelson elections are held under the 'first past the post,' or FPP system. The alternate system is the 'single tranferable vote' or STV.

This consideration occured in August 2008, with the existing Council choosing to keep the current system in place.

First past the post - FPP

Under the FPP electoral system, the candidate with the most votes wins. This is a very simple method of electing candidates and is widely used throughout the world.

FPP was used in New Zealand for Parliamentary elections up until the introduction of MMP (Mixed Member Proportional) in the 1996 general election. Although FPP is very simple, some people have argued that the results of an FPP election may not always reflect the wishes of the majority of voters.

Under FPP, if there are three open positions, you would place ticks next to the names of up to three candidates, which means you would have three votes.

Single transferable vote - STV

Under the 'single transferable vote,' or STV, electoral system, voters rank candidates in their order of preference.

A good example to consider is an election to select three councillors for a ward in a council election. Under STV, you would write '1' next to the name of your favourite candidate. This is your first preference. If you wish to vote further, you could write '2' next to your second favourite candidate and '3' next to the last candidate.

STV means that you have one vote, but can indicate your preferences for as many candidates as you wish.

Candidates must reach a set number (quota) of first preferences in order to be elected. By numbering preferences, voters essentially say that the candidate they most want to represent them on the council is their first choice. If their first choice gets more first preferences than the quota, part of the vote is transferred to the second choices of all those electors who chose the successful candidate as their first preference. On the other hand, if the first choice has so little support that s/he can't possibly be elected, they are excluded and their first preferences are transferred to the second choices.

Nelsonians may be familiar with the STV system because it is used to elect the district health board members.

Next vote for Nelsonians

Nelson's next local body election is in 2010. Because Council must consider the process to use in local elections two years prior (per the Local Electoral Act), Nelson City Council reviewed it in August 2008.