Despite the awkward sound of the abbreviation, STV is actually a form of voting that we use in the Students’ Union Elections. It stands for Single Transferable Vote but that and more is explained below.

There are lots of different voting systems in existence around the World and each has their own pros and cons.

For example, the General Elections that are taking place this May – make sure you are registered to vote – use First Past the Post. Under this system you choose your favourite candidate and the one with the most votes wins with all other votes counting for nothing.

We’re not a fan of wasting so many votes though, so in our elections we use Single Transferable Voting (STV) which lets you rank your favourite candidate.

Rank your favourite

When it comes to voting you rank your preferred candidates in number order. This means that candidates have to work harder to convince you to vote for them while you get to choose those individuals that you feel best represent you.

But what happens if your favoured candidate is eliminated?

If your preferred candidate is eliminated or has enough votes already to be elected then your vote is transferred to another candidate in accordance with your instructions. This system is repeated until there is a clear winner.

What’s This Mean?

It means that in hotly contested positions, such as VP Student Activities, second, third and even fourth preferences can have a big swing on the final result of the election. So it is very important to choose who you would want to represent you should your favoured candidate not win thus ensuring your voice is ultimately heard.