The voting system was first used in the PNG National elections in 1977 and was abonded. It was re-introduced thirty years later in the 2007 National elections. What is this system?
The voting system that was first used in the PNG National elections in 1977, abandoned, and then re-introduced in the 2007 National elections is the Limited Preferential Voting (LPV) system.
The voting system being referred to here is the Limited Preferential Voting (LPV) system, also known as the "Alternative Vote," which was first used in the Papua New Guinea (PNG) National elections in 1977 and then reintroduced in 2007 after a 30-year gap. In this system, voters rank their preferred candidates on the ballot, marking their first, second, and third choices. The first-preference votes are counted, and if a candidate receives an absolute majority of first preferences, they are declared the winner. If no candidate receives an absolute majority, the candidate with the fewest first-preference votes is eliminated, and their votes are redistributed based on the second-preference choices until a candidate attains an absolute majority.
The voting system being referred to here is the Limited Preferential Voting (LPV) system, also known as the Alternative Vote system. It was first used in the PNG (Papua New Guinea) National elections in 1977 but was later abandoned. It was then reintroduced thirty years later in the 2007 National elections.
The Limited Preferential Voting system is a variation of the preferential voting system, which allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference. In the LPV system, voters have the option to rank up to three candidates in order of their preference. This means that instead of simply voting for one preferred candidate, they can express their preferences for multiple candidates.
The process of counting the votes in the LPV system involves a series of eliminations and redistributions. First, the primary votes (first preferences) for each candidate are counted. If one candidate receives an absolute majority (more than 50% of the total votes), they are declared the winner. However, if no candidate achieves an absolute majority, the candidate with the fewest primary votes is eliminated.
After eliminating a candidate, their votes are redistributed to the remaining candidates based on the second preferences indicated by the voters. This process of elimination and redistribution continues until one candidate obtains an absolute majority and is declared the winner.
The reason why the LPV system was reintroduced in the PNG National elections in 2007, after being abandoned, is likely due to its perceived advantages and fairness. The system allows voters to express their preferences more comprehensively, reduces the likelihood of wasted votes, and ensures that the winning candidate has majority support.