siirtoäänestys

Siirtoäänestys, also known as transferable vote or instant-runoff voting, is an electoral system used to elect a single winner in a given election. Under this system, voters rank candidates in order of preference rather than choosing just one. If no candidate receives an absolute majority of first-preference votes, the candidate with the fewest first-preference votes is eliminated. The votes for the eliminated candidate are then redistributed to their second-preference choices. This process continues until one candidate achieves a majority of the remaining votes.

The primary goal of siirtoäänestys is to ensure that the winning candidate has broad support among the electorate. It aims to reduce the likelihood of "spoiler" candidates, where a third-party candidate might draw votes away from a more preferred major-party candidate, inadvertently helping a less-preferred candidate win. By allowing voters to express multiple preferences, it encourages a more nuanced expression of voter will.

Siirtoäänestys is used in various jurisdictions around the world, including in some local elections in the United States and for certain national elections in countries like Australia and Ireland. Proponents argue that it leads to more representative outcomes and can encourage more positive campaigning, as candidates seek to appeal beyond their core base to gain second and third preferences. Critics sometimes point to the complexity of the system and the counting process, which can be more involved than traditional plurality voting.