If you’re a Green Party member voting in an internal election, it’s worth knowing how to make the most of your ballot. That includes understanding STV – our voting system – and RON (Re-Open Nominations), which is your best friend when you don’t like the options on offer.
What is the Single Transferable Vote (STV)?
STV is a proportional voting system that lets you rank candidates in order of preference (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.). Highly simplified, it works something like this (for more on STV see the Electoral Reform Society website):
- First preferences are counted.
- If a candidate reaches the quota, which is (total valid votes ÷ (seats + 1) + 1), they’re elected. If there’s only one seat the process stops here.
- If no one reaches the quota or there is more than one seat any surplus votes (extra votes above the quota) are passed on to each voter’s next preference.
- Example of an election with three or more candidates: If Lisa gets 60 votes and the quota is 50, she only needs 50 to win. That means she has a surplus of 10 votes. Instead of picking 10 random ballots, all 60 of her ballots are used to help decide where the surplus goes. Each of those 60 ballots passes a small fraction of a vote (in this case, 1/6) to the voter’s next choice. That way, everyone who voted for Lisa helps decide who else gets elected — fairly and equally.
- If no one reaches the quota, the lowest-ranked candidate is eliminated, and the members who voted for the eliminated candidate have their next preference votes used.
- This continues until all seats are filled.
STV ensures that your vote isn’t wasted and provides a result that accurately reflects the membership’s true preferences.
Why is RON (Re-Open Nominations) Important?
Re-Open Nominations (RON) lets you say:
“I don’t support any of these candidates – I’d rather have no winner than elect someone I don’t trust.” In STV, ranking RON means you would prefer the election to be re-run with fresh candidates than settle for those currently standing.
Why it matters:
- Keeps elections democratic and accountable
- Discourages poor-quality or unopposed candidates
- Gives you a real choice, not just the “least bad” option
How to Make the Best Use of RON
RON is a strategic safeguard. Here’s how to use it well:
1. As a protest or veto option
If you believe none of the candidates are suitable, rank RON above all of them.
- (Example: 3 candidates, 2 seats. You dislike all 3. Rank RON first. If RON is elected, that seat remains unfilled, and the election may be re-run.)
2. To avoid having to rank unsuitable candidates
You don’t have to rank every candidate. By ranking RON just after the ones you like, and with nothing after RON, you prevent your vote being transferred to someone you don’t support.
- (Example: You rank A first and RON second. If A is eliminated, your vote goes to RON rather than B or C.)
3. To influence transfer patterns
RON can block weaker candidates. If your next best option is RON, your vote won’t help someone less suitable sneak in.
When Not to Use RON
- Don’t rank RON just because it’s there. Use it only if you’re genuinely unhappy with the remaining options.
- Ranking RON low (e.g. below everyone else) is pointless – it only counts if all others are eliminated first.
Sample Ballot – 3 Candidates, 1 Seat
| Rank | Candidate Name |
|---|---|
| 1 | Lisa |
| 2 | Re-Open Nominations |
In this example:
- You like Lisa.
- You dislike the others, so you rank RON second.
- You leave the rest blank – your vote won’t go to them.
How It Works – Example Vote Transfers
Let’s say we have four voters and four options (3 candidates + RON), with 1 seat to fill:
- Voter 1: Lisa → RON
- Voter 2: RON
- Voter 3: Mark
- Voter 4: Jordan
If Lisa is eliminated, Voter 1’s vote goes to RON.
If RON wins, the election is not filled and may be re-run.
Key Tips
- Rank RON high if you’d rather re-run the election than elect anyone left.
- Don’t rank RON at all if you’re happy with all the candidates.
- Don’t rank candidates below RON unless you’re okay with them being elected.