What is Instant Runoff Voting (IRV) and how does it work?

• A. Voters rank candidates; if no one has a majority, the lowest-ranked candidate is eliminated and their votes redistributed by next preferences, continuing until a candidate has a majority.
• B. The candidate with the most votes in a single round wins.
• C. Seats are allocated proportionally through a quota and transfers.
• D. A runoff is held between the top candidates only after all rounds.

Answer: (A)

Instant Runoff Voting is a ranked-choice system. Voters list candidates in order of preference. If a candidate has a majority of votes based on the current tallies, they win. If no one has a majority, the candidate with the fewest first-choice votes is eliminated and those ballots are redistributed to the next preferred candidate on each ballot. This elimination and redistribution repeat in rounds until someone earns a majority. This setup lets voters support their top choice while still ensuring the winner has broad backing, and it avoids the need for a separate runoff because the majority emerges through transfers from eliminated candidates.

The idea of simply counting the most votes in one round is plurality voting, which can elect someone without a majority. A system that allocates seats proportionally through a quota and transfers describes a proportional representation method, not IRV. And a runoff held between top candidates after all rounds implies a separate final face-off, which IRV achieves through transfers in successive rounds rather than staging an additional runoff.