What is the Droop quota used in multi-seat elections?

• A. floor(Total valid votes / (Seats + 1)) + 1.
• B. A simple majority of votes is required to win a seat.
• C. It equals the Hare quota.
• D. It is used only in single-member districts.

Answer: (A)

In multi-seat elections, the Droop quota is the threshold a candidate must reach to be elected. It is calculated as floor(total valid votes / (seats + 1)) + 1. This construction ensures that no more candidates can reach the quota than there are seats available, because the number of full quotas that can fit into the total votes is limited.

For example, with 1000 valid votes and 4 seats, the quota is floor(1000 / (4 + 1)) + 1 = floor(200) + 1 = 201. A candidate needs 201 votes to be elected. This setup guarantees at most four winners, since five quotas would require more votes than exist.

This quota is different from the Hare quota, which uses total valid votes divided by the number of seats without the floor and the +1 adjustment, and it is specifically used in multi-seat systems like STV, not in single-member districts. A simple majority to win a seat is not appropriate here, because in multi-seat contests you need a threshold that ensures the number of winners matches the number of seats.