Röstförmånslag

Röstförmånslag, translated as "preferential voting law" or "preferential voting system," refers to electoral systems where voters rank candidates in order of preference rather than selecting a single candidate. When a candidate receives an absolute majority of first-preference votes, they are elected. If no candidate achieves this majority, the candidate with the fewest first-preference votes is eliminated. The votes for the eliminated candidate are then redistributed to the next preference indicated on those ballots. This process continues until one candidate secures a majority of the remaining votes.

The primary goal of a Röstförmånslag is to ensure that the winning candidate has broad support among the electorate. It aims to reduce the likelihood of a candidate winning with only a plurality of votes, particularly in multi-candidate races where a winner might be opposed by a majority of voters. This system is also known by various other names globally, such as Instant-runoff voting (IRV) or Ranked-choice voting (RCV). Variations exist, but the core principle of redistributing votes based on voter preferences remains consistent. Röstförmånslag is employed in various jurisdictions for different types of elections, including parliamentary, local, and sometimes party internal elections, with the specific rules and implementation details varying by location.