To parse the ballot data (.blt files) found on this site you will need to import it into software that can run Ranked Choice Voting elections. The software listed below is all old so I would recommend looking for a modern solution. Most are browser based but the RCV Universal Tabulator looks promising.
Ideally, ASUCD should open source their vote tabulating software, if it isn’t already.
OpenSTV
OpenSTV is no longer maintained but you can find the last version, 1.7, on this OpenSTV GitHub repository.
I previously used OpenSTV version 1.5 and this is how I would run elections using the .blt files:
Start OpenSTV. Click on “File” then “Run Election”. Now select one of the “.blt” files you have downloaded and keep the method set to “Scottish STV”. Click “OK”. A new window will pop up titled “Election Options”. All of this information should be accurate and left alone because the “.blt” file is already configured to be accurate for that particular election. Simply click “OK”. You should now have a new tab full of information because the election has just been run.
Stove Top
Stove Top is a program created from pSTV (pre-cursor to OpenSTV) but only works on a Mac OS. Stove Top can create great reports about the election and run Countback elections.
After you install Stove Top (I don’t know if it still works) and run it, you need to format the ballot data slightly different so you would go to the end of the ballot data file and add the slate hex color codes after each quoted name like this: “Beatriz Anguiano” #478739. Once it is formatted, you can load the .blt file.
How to Run a Countback Election with Stove Top
- load ballots
- post-process selected
- one time countback becomes selectable
- select candidates
- select # 2 be elected
- verbos display shows round by rounds
ChoicePlus
ChoicePlus is the program I used to run Countback elections. It was a bit more complex than OpenSTV and requires reformatting of the ballot data found on this site. I don’t know if it still works but you can download ChoicePlus Pro free of charge on their site if you want to give it a try.