When a candidate reaches the quota, all of their ballots are then re-counted but looking at the "2" votes. These votes are then distributed to those other candidates, in proportion to the elected candidate's surplus (the number of votes more than the quota they got).
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That raises the total for the other candidates, and maybe they reach the quota, and the same thing happens for them. Otherwise, the candidates that can't possibly be elected are eliminated, and the next preferences from their ballots are redistributed.
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This means there can be as many counts as there are candidates. It usually takes all day, sometimes 2, and that's before recounts! But it's worth it, it means that people's votes are never "wasted". Your vote can always go to someone.
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A few other things: some ballots are spoiled - some observers and representatives from parties adjudicate on these. Unclear votes are discarded, votes with identifying marks can be argued over. Generally returning officers want to favor including them than excluding.
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There's a media moratorium on polls in the 24 hours before an election, a period of reflection. And there's a referendum commission who writes neutral advice on the referendums and sends it to everyone. http://refcom.ie for their take on this week's.
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Ireland's turnout rates haven't been great for the past 20 years or so, but in general it's still a pretty robust democracy. As I write, my parents are out canvassing and knocking on doors to encourage people to vote! /end
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Replying to @lil_cain
I've never seen the tie-breaker (drawing a lot) happen! The other source of non-determinism, sampling the surplus, turns out not to matter much in my experience. I've seen recounts do a full count and distribute instead, as they do in NI.
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Replying to @colmmacc
Huh. I didn’t think they ever did a full counts and distribution. Seems mad that we don’t always do it (would be interested if there was any research into the difference it made)
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Replying to @lil_cain
I think it became harder for returning officers not to do it after NI set the precedent ... people want fairness. What the laws proscribe exactly has always been subject to discretion. Almost every election there are nail-biter last-seats that it makes some difference for.
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Personally I think it's a dangerous kind of magical thinking to believe that winning one vote more than someone else implies some kind of metaphysical great democratic legitimacy or mystical crowd-wisdom.
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