How STV Actually Works
STV might sound complicated, but it's basically about giving you more power as a voter. Instead of just picking one candidate, you rank all candidates in order of preference on your ballot paper.
The magic happens in multi-member constituencies, where several representatives get elected from each area rather than just one. First, all the first-preference votes get counted, and anyone reaching the required quota wins a seat straight away.
Here's where it gets clever: if a winning candidate has surplus votes beyond what they needed, those extra votes transfer to voters' second choices. When no one has a surplus, the candidate with the fewest votes gets eliminated, and their votes also transfer to second preferences.
Quick Tip: Think of it like choosing your top films on Netflix - if your first choice isn't available, the system automatically tries your second choice, then your third, and so on.