VI. EXAMPLES FOR ALLOCATING SEATS

VI.1. Settlements with 10.000 or less inhabitants

At a small settlement with 98 inhabitants a 3-member body of representatives is elected. Six candidates enter the election, out of whom candidate 4 is a minority candidate. 71 voters cast a valid vote, and because all of them cast the possible 3 votes, the number of votes is 213 in total. Votes are divided among the six candidates the way it is shown in the chart: 

name of the candidate

number of votes

50 % of votes

seat

Candidate 1

63

 

obtained a seat

Candidate2

2

 

not obtained a seat

Candidate 3

75

 

obtained a seat

Candidate 4 (minority)

21

 

obtained a preferential seat

Candidate 5

12

 

not obtained a seat

Candidate 6

40

20

obtained a seat

 

The most votes have been won by Candidate 3 (75), Candidate 1 (63) and Candidate 6 (40) in order, accordingly, they will get into the body of representatives. As no minority candidate has obtained any seat, it has to be examined if any minority candidate has won more votes than half of the votes won by Candidate 6 having obtained a seat with the least votes (that is, 20 votes). As the number of this minority candidate’s votes is 21, he/she will get by obtaining a preferential seat into the body of representatives thus increased into a 4 member body. 


VI.2. Settlements with more than 10.000 inhabitants and districts of the capital 

At a settlement with 15 000 inhabitants a 17-member body of representatives is elected: 10 representatives in single mandate constituency, 7 representatives from compensation list. At the election, four political parties set up a compensation list, and 5 independent candidates who belong to one and the same minority are entered into a minority compensation list by the election committee. The fragmentary votes cast on individual candidates are divided among the five lists as follows: 

List 1 4000
List 2 3000
List 3 2700
Minority List 260
List 4 3600

 

 

List1

List2

List3

Minority list

List4

1,5

2667

2000

1800

173

2400

3

1333

1000

900

87

1200

5

800

600

540

52

720

7

571

429

386

37

514

2,667, i.e., the largest number occurring in the chart can be found in the column “List 1”, therefore “List 1” will be given the seat. The next largest number is 2,400 in column “List 4”, therefore the second seat is given to “List 4”, etc. The seven seats that can be allocated are divided among the lists as follows: 

List 1 2
List 2 2
List 3  1
Minority List 0
List 4 2


In the above example “List 2” has obtained a seat with the least (1000) votes. One fourth of it is 250; thus, the minority compensation list can obtain a seat if it has at least 251 votes. As the minority list has won 260 votes, it is given 1 preferential seat.


VI.3. Electing representatives of county governments 

In a county constituency with 150 000 inhabitants 6 representatives are elected into the county convention. At the election 5 organisations set up a county list. The valid 100 000 votes cast on lists are divided among the five lists as follows: 
As the number of the votes of “List 5” has not exceeded 4 % of the votes (that is, 4000 votes), “List 5”may not take part in the allocation of seats. 

List 1 40 000
List 2 30 000
List 3 10 400
List 4 16 000
List 5 3600

As the number of the votes of “List 5” has not exceeded 4 % of the votes (that is, 4000 votes), “List 5”may not take part in the allocation of seats. 

 

List1

List2

List3

List4

1,5

26667

20000

6933

10667

3

13333

10000

3467

5333

5

8000

6000

2080

3200

7

5714

4286

1486

2286

26 667, the largest number occurring in the chart can be found in the column “List 1”, therefore, “List 1” will be given the seat. The next largest number is 20 000 in the column “List 2”, therefore, the second seat is given to “List 2”, etc. The six seats that can be allocated are divided among the lists as follows:

List 1 3
List 2 2
List 3 0
List 4 1