Countback Vacancy Example

This illustrates how an ASUCD Senate vacancy can be filled 
democratically, without needing a special election.  Voters' 
preferences are used from the election at which the vacating
candidate was elected.
This method, called the "countback," is a special feature of the 
ChoicePlus Pro software used by ASUCD.  In this example, to 
decide James Ackerman's replacement, you'd look at all ballots 
that went to elect Ackerman (fractional or not) in the Fall
election, along with all exhausted ballots from that election.
Then conduct an IRV election on those ballots, skipping over 
already-elected candidates.  In effect, this method asks the 
voters who elected the vacating candidate, along with the other 
unrepresented voters, who their next choice is.
In practice, you'd want to ask all the potentially eligible 
candidates if they're still interested in serving before doing 
the countback.  If some are not, you'd also skip over those 
candidates.
The countback is a recognized method of filling vacancies 
democratically.  The result is immediate, decisive, and fair.
And unlike a single-winner special election, it preserves, 
as much as possible, the original cross-section of voter
opinion.
The countback example below was performed on the ballot data
released by the ASUCD Election Committee, for the 2003-2004
Fall ASUCD Senate Election.

CANDIDATES:
	Chris Goren (Student Focus)
	Ariadna Ramirez (LEAD)
	Juan Carlos Sanchez (LEAD)
	Leticia Miller (Student Focus)
	Dyanna Quizon (LEAD)
	Kenneth Bloom
	Xavjeir GdFaith
	Mee Vang (LEAD)
	Jared Vagy
	Caliph Assagai (LEAD)
	Benjamin Bidwell
	Tony Yu (Student Focus)
	Wesley Ryan
	Rajinder Sandhu (Student Focus)
	Kelsey Cassady (Student Focus)
	James Ackerman (Student Focus)
ELECTION RULES:
               System:  Instant Runoff Voting
       Threshold Type:  Droop
    Simultaneous Drop:  When mathematically inevitable
                 Ties:  1) Previous Round method
                        2) By election official
                        3) Random (by computer)
--------------------------------------------------
1,998 valid ballots.
677.611 votes.
Electing 1 candidate.
Winning threshold is 339 votes.
There were no invalid ballots.
(1,998 total ballots processed.)
--------------------------------------------------

********************************************************************************

ROUND 1 -- Tally of 1st place votes.
CANDIDATE                   THIS ROUND          TOTAL  STATUS
-----------------------  -------------  -------------  ----------------------
Kelsey Cassady              +136.76010      136.76010  CONTINUING
Leticia Miller              +122.22718      122.22718  CONTINUING
Rajinder Sandhu             +106.01486      106.01486  CONTINUING
Kenneth Bloom                +53.94664       53.94664  CONTINUING
Jared Vagy                   +53.25362       53.25362  CONTINUING
Wesley Ryan                  +39.82447       39.82447  CONTINUING
Xavjeir GdFaith              +38.88132       38.88132  CONTINUING
Ariadna Ramirez              +38.64808       38.64808  CONTINUING
Mee Vang                     +26.58617       26.58617  DEFEATED -- 1st round
Benjamin Bidwell              +8.96795        8.96795  DEFEATED -- 1st round
Chris Goren                    0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
Tony Yu                        0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
James Ackerman                 0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
Caliph Assagai                 0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
Dyanna Quizon                  0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
Juan Carlos Sanchez            0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
EXHAUSTED PILE:              +52.50034       52.50034  
TOTALS:                     +677.61073      677.61073  

-- Mee Vang is declared DEFEATED, as his/her defeat was mathematically
   inevitable.
-- Benjamin Bidwell is declared DEFEATED, as his/her defeat was mathematically
   inevitable.

********************************************************************************

ROUND 2 -- Transferring all votes simultaneously from all defeated candidates.
CANDIDATE                   THIS ROUND          TOTAL  STATUS
-----------------------  -------------  -------------  ----------------------
Kelsey Cassady                +2.31465      139.07475  CONTINUING
Leticia Miller                +8.89426      131.12144  CONTINUING
Rajinder Sandhu               +1.52248      107.53734  CONTINUING
Kenneth Bloom                 +2.07378       56.02042  CONTINUING
Jared Vagy                    +2.00184       55.25546  CONTINUING
Ariadna Ramirez               +6.94941       45.59749  CONTINUING
Wesley Ryan                   +1.02839       40.85286  CONTINUING
Xavjeir GdFaith               +0.12879       39.01011  DEFEATED -- 2nd round
Mee Vang                     -26.58617        0.00000  DEFEATED -- 1st round
Benjamin Bidwell              -8.96795        0.00000  DEFEATED -- 1st round
Chris Goren                    0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
Tony Yu                        0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
James Ackerman                 0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
Caliph Assagai                 0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
Dyanna Quizon                  0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
Juan Carlos Sanchez            0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
EXHAUSTED PILE:              +10.64052       63.14086  
TOTALS:                        0.00000      677.61073  

-- Xavjeir GdFaith is declared DEFEATED because s/he has the lowest number of
   votes.

********************************************************************************

ROUND 3 -- Xavjeir GdFaith has been DEFEATED -- transferring all votes.
CANDIDATE                   THIS ROUND          TOTAL  STATUS
-----------------------  -------------  -------------  ----------------------
Kelsey Cassady                +1.41335      140.48810  CONTINUING
Leticia Miller                +5.15503      136.27647  CONTINUING
Rajinder Sandhu               +1.30100      108.83834  CONTINUING
Kenneth Bloom                 +9.03971       65.06013  CONTINUING
Jared Vagy                    +5.44534       60.70080  CONTINUING
Ariadna Ramirez               +3.04728       48.64477  CONTINUING
Wesley Ryan                   +4.81520       45.66806  DEFEATED -- 3rd round
Xavjeir GdFaith              -39.01011        0.00000  DEFEATED -- 2nd round
Mee Vang                       0.00000        0.00000  DEFEATED -- 1st round
Benjamin Bidwell               0.00000        0.00000  DEFEATED -- 1st round
Chris Goren                    0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
Tony Yu                        0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
James Ackerman                 0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
Caliph Assagai                 0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
Dyanna Quizon                  0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
Juan Carlos Sanchez            0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
EXHAUSTED PILE:               +8.79320       71.93406  
TOTALS:                        0.00000      677.61073  

-- Wesley Ryan is declared DEFEATED because s/he has the lowest number of votes.

********************************************************************************

ROUND 4 -- Wesley Ryan has been DEFEATED -- transferring all votes.
CANDIDATE                   THIS ROUND          TOTAL  STATUS
-----------------------  -------------  -------------  ----------------------
Kelsey Cassady                +5.32606      145.81416  CONTINUING
Leticia Miller                +3.85668      140.13315  CONTINUING
Rajinder Sandhu               +4.99844      113.83678  CONTINUING
Kenneth Bloom                +10.88423       75.94436  CONTINUING
Jared Vagy                    +5.72632       66.42712  CONTINUING
Ariadna Ramirez               +2.87544       51.52021  DEFEATED -- 4th round
Wesley Ryan                  -45.66806        0.00000  DEFEATED -- 3rd round
Xavjeir GdFaith                0.00000        0.00000  DEFEATED -- 2nd round
Mee Vang                       0.00000        0.00000  DEFEATED -- 1st round
Benjamin Bidwell               0.00000        0.00000  DEFEATED -- 1st round
Chris Goren                    0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
Tony Yu                        0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
James Ackerman                 0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
Caliph Assagai                 0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
Dyanna Quizon                  0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
Juan Carlos Sanchez            0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
EXHAUSTED PILE:              +12.00089       83.93495  
TOTALS:                        0.00000      677.61073  

-- Ariadna Ramirez is declared DEFEATED because s/he has the lowest number of
   votes.

********************************************************************************

ROUND 5 -- Ariadna Ramirez has been DEFEATED -- transferring all votes.
CANDIDATE                   THIS ROUND          TOTAL  STATUS
-----------------------  -------------  -------------  ----------------------
Leticia Miller               +14.24134      154.37449  CONTINUING
Kelsey Cassady                +7.75634      153.57050  CONTINUING
Rajinder Sandhu               +4.55549      118.39227  CONTINUING
Kenneth Bloom                 +8.00127       83.94563  CONTINUING
Jared Vagy                    +4.44865       70.87577  DEFEATED -- 5th round
Ariadna Ramirez              -51.52021        0.00000  DEFEATED -- 4th round
Wesley Ryan                    0.00000        0.00000  DEFEATED -- 3rd round
Xavjeir GdFaith                0.00000        0.00000  DEFEATED -- 2nd round
Mee Vang                       0.00000        0.00000  DEFEATED -- 1st round
Benjamin Bidwell               0.00000        0.00000  DEFEATED -- 1st round
Chris Goren                    0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
Tony Yu                        0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
James Ackerman                 0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
Caliph Assagai                 0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
Dyanna Quizon                  0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
Juan Carlos Sanchez            0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
EXHAUSTED PILE:              +12.51712       96.45207  
TOTALS:                        0.00000      677.61073  

-- Jared Vagy is declared DEFEATED because s/he has the lowest number of votes.

********************************************************************************

ROUND 6 -- Jared Vagy has been DEFEATED -- transferring all votes.
CANDIDATE                   THIS ROUND          TOTAL  STATUS
-----------------------  -------------  -------------  ----------------------
Kelsey Cassady               +18.78594      172.35644  CONTINUING
Leticia Miller               +15.07870      169.45319  CONTINUING
Rajinder Sandhu               +9.91075      128.30302  CONTINUING
Kenneth Bloom                +10.63379       94.57942  DEFEATED -- 6th round
Jared Vagy                   -70.87577        0.00000  DEFEATED -- 5th round
Ariadna Ramirez                0.00000        0.00000  DEFEATED -- 4th round
Wesley Ryan                    0.00000        0.00000  DEFEATED -- 3rd round
Xavjeir GdFaith                0.00000        0.00000  DEFEATED -- 2nd round
Mee Vang                       0.00000        0.00000  DEFEATED -- 1st round
Benjamin Bidwell               0.00000        0.00000  DEFEATED -- 1st round
Chris Goren                    0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
Tony Yu                        0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
James Ackerman                 0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
Caliph Assagai                 0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
Dyanna Quizon                  0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
Juan Carlos Sanchez            0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
EXHAUSTED PILE:              +16.46659      112.91866  
TOTALS:                        0.00000      677.61073  

-- Kenneth Bloom is declared DEFEATED because s/he has the lowest number of
   votes.

********************************************************************************

ROUND 7 -- Kenneth Bloom has been DEFEATED -- transferring all votes.
CANDIDATE                   THIS ROUND          TOTAL  STATUS
-----------------------  -------------  -------------  ----------------------
Kelsey Cassady               +21.39093      193.74737  CONTINUING
Leticia Miller               +14.91094      184.36413  CONTINUING
Rajinder Sandhu              +20.19054      148.49356  DEFEATED -- 7th round
Kenneth Bloom                -94.57942        0.00000  DEFEATED -- 6th round
Jared Vagy                     0.00000        0.00000  DEFEATED -- 5th round
Ariadna Ramirez                0.00000        0.00000  DEFEATED -- 4th round
Wesley Ryan                    0.00000        0.00000  DEFEATED -- 3rd round
Xavjeir GdFaith                0.00000        0.00000  DEFEATED -- 2nd round
Mee Vang                       0.00000        0.00000  DEFEATED -- 1st round
Benjamin Bidwell               0.00000        0.00000  DEFEATED -- 1st round
Chris Goren                    0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
Tony Yu                        0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
James Ackerman                 0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
Caliph Assagai                 0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
Dyanna Quizon                  0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
Juan Carlos Sanchez            0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
EXHAUSTED PILE:              +38.08701      151.00567  
TOTALS:                        0.00000      677.61073  

-- Rajinder Sandhu is declared DEFEATED because s/he has the lowest number of
   votes.

********************************************************************************

ROUND 8 -- Rajinder Sandhu has been DEFEATED -- transferring all votes.
CANDIDATE                   THIS ROUND          TOTAL  STATUS
-----------------------  -------------  -------------  ----------------------
Leticia Miller               +53.42307      237.78720  ELECTED -- 8th round
Kelsey Cassady               +21.68783      215.43520  DEFEATED -- 8th round
Rajinder Sandhu             -148.49356        0.00000  DEFEATED -- 7th round
Kenneth Bloom                  0.00000        0.00000  DEFEATED -- 6th round
Jared Vagy                     0.00000        0.00000  DEFEATED -- 5th round
Ariadna Ramirez                0.00000        0.00000  DEFEATED -- 4th round
Wesley Ryan                    0.00000        0.00000  DEFEATED -- 3rd round
Xavjeir GdFaith                0.00000        0.00000  DEFEATED -- 2nd round
Mee Vang                       0.00000        0.00000  DEFEATED -- 1st round
Benjamin Bidwell               0.00000        0.00000  DEFEATED -- 1st round
Chris Goren                    0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
Tony Yu                        0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
James Ackerman                 0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
Caliph Assagai                 0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
Dyanna Quizon                  0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
Juan Carlos Sanchez            0.00000        0.00000  EXCLUDED
EXHAUSTED PILE:              +73.38266      224.38833  
TOTALS:                        0.00000      677.61073  

-- Leticia Miller has been ELECTED because s/he has a majority of the remaining
   votes.
-- Kelsey Cassady is declared DEFEATED, because all of the seats have been
   filled.

********************************************************************************

ELECTION COUNT SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED


Tuesday, June 1, 2004 7:43 PM
ChoicePlus Pro -- Version 2.1
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