InternetNZ electoral system (explanation)

InternetNZ uses the following process to conduct and count InternetNZ Board elections and officers’ elections. This process does not apply to referenda.

Approach

The approach used is a form of STV (single transferable vote), which is also called choice voting.

An elected candidate generally has more votes than the minimum needed for election — this is called their surplus. STV reallocates surplus ballots from elected candidates to their next preferred candidate. 

STV versions differ in how they select surplus ballots for reallocation. The method used by InternetNZ transfers all ballots to their next preferred candidate on a fractional basis, rather than transferring a selection of ballots at their full value. This is sometimes called the Gregory method. It is used in elections for the Australian senate and for the senate and parliament of the Republic of Ireland. The detailed counting process used is set out in Schedule A below.

This approach is consistent with InternetNZ’s constitution which requires that board members and officers are elected using a preferential and proportional system. All forms of STV are preferential because voters rank candidates in order of preference. The version used by InternetNZ provides for proportionality through the fractional reallocation of ballots, which provides for second and later preferences to play a proportional role in electing candidates and avoids the element of randomness or bias that would be present if individual ballots were somehow selected for transfer.

Elections

Board member elections are held regularly.

Board elections are, in general, for multiple seats. These elections are counted by the preferential and proportional vote counting process described below. A single counting process is performed to fill all vacant Board seats at the same election. 

Board member elections are conducted individually using the process below.

Returning officer

The Returning Officer is nominated and approved by the Board and is responsible for running a fair and effective election process. The Returning Officer determines the validity of nominations, supervises the election and declares the outcome. InternetNZ may contract out the administration of parts of the election process under the supervision of the Returning Officer.

Process

The election process consists of four consecutive phases: pre-election, voting, counting and declaration.

Pre-election 

The Returning Officer advises electors of the election process and dates and the number of seats to be elected. Candidates are nominated and their validity checked by the Returning Officer, who distributes to electors a list of candidates and any statement each candidate chooses to make. 

Voting 

InternetNZ distributes voting credentials to Eligible Members who use these credentials to cast their ballots by ranking the candidates. 

Each Eligible member receives a ballot that lists the candidates. Eligible members rank the candidates in order of preference. Eligible members must rank at least one candidate.

There is no provision for write-in candidates.

There is no provision for informal or ‘spoiled’ ballots.

Counting 

Ballots cast are counted using the process set out in Schedule A.

Scrutineers satisfy themselves that the counting has proceeded in accordance with this process. Once satisfied, they sign the documentation showing the progress of the count and its outcomes. 

Declaration

The Returning Officer makes a formal declaration of outcome based on the results of counting and scrutineering.

Schedule A: counting process

Ballots are counted using STV with fractional transfers. The method is set out below. The counting process comprises preliminary steps followed by a series of ‘rounds’. Each round is a series of steps after which a candidate is declared elected or a candidate is declared defeated. Rounds continue until candidates are elected to fill all vacant seats.

Preliminary steps

These steps are conducted once only at the start of the counting process.

Step 1: Calculate the votes required

Calculate the number of votes a candidate needs to be declared elected. This is done using the Droop quota*:

Quota = 1 + (total valid votes ÷ (number of elected positions + 1), rounded down).

 

* Write-in candidate: In some voting systems, a write-in candidate is a person whose name does not appear on the ballot, but whom a voter chooses to vote for by manually entering their name. In an STV (Single Transferable Vote) election conducted through InternetNZ’s electronic voting system, write-in candidates are not permitted. Only candidates who have been properly nominated and confirmed as eligible under the Constitution and election rules will appear on the ballot and be able to receive votes. 

Spoiled ballot: In an STV (Single Transferable Vote) election, a spoiled ballot is a vote that cannot be counted because it has been completed incorrectly, damaged, or marked in a way that makes the voter’s preferences unclear. As InternetNZ elections use an electronic voting system, spoiled ballots are generally not applicable, as the system is designed to prevent invalid or incomplete submissions.

Step 2: Count first choice votes

Assign each valid ballot to the candidate ranked first on that ballot, i.e. that voter's first preference.

Counting a round

Counting continues through a number of rounds, described below, until all vacant seats are filled.

Step 3: Check for a winner

Start of a round. Determine whether the candidate with the highest number of votes equals or exceeds the threshold.

• If yes, continue.
• If no, go to step 7. 

Step 4: Elect a candidate

If the candidate with the most votes has enough to be elected, they are declared elected. 

Elect only one candidate at once. Use the tie-breaking process set out below if there are multiple candidates with the same number of votes at or over the threshold.

Step 5: Check if seats are filled 

Are the seats now filled?

• If yes, declare all remaining candidates defeated and finish.
• If no, go on. 

Step 6: Transfer surplus votes

If an elected candidate had more votes than required to be elected, this is called their surplus. 

Transfer all of their ballots to the next preferred candidates who have not already been elected or defeated. The transfer is made at a fractional value, e.g. if the surplus was one tenth of the total votes the elected candidate received, each transferred ballot would now be regarded as one tenth of a vote. This is calculated as

Any ballots for the elected candidate that do not have a valid next preference are considered as exhausted and play no further part in the count. 

The fraction is calculated as: 

Faction = surplus votes ÷ total votes for that candidate

Ballots that have already been transferred on a fractional basis and are being transferred again will be further fractionated, e.g. a ballot that has already been transferred at a fraction of one tenth and is now further transferred at a fraction of one fifth will become one fiftieth of its original value. 

Go to Step 3. 

Step 7: Eliminate the lowest candidate

Complete this step if the candidate with the highest number of votes doesn’t have enough votes to be elected. 

Select the candidate with the lowest number of votes. See tie-breaking section if there is more than one candidate with the same number of votes. 

Declare this candidate defeated and transfer each of their ballots to the next preferred candidate for that ballot that has not already been elected or defeated, at the value they held at the beginning of this step (no further fraction is applied). 

Any ballots that do not have a valid next preference are described as exhausted and play no further part in the count. 

Go to Step 3. 

Steps 3-7 are repeated until the required candidates are elected.

Tie-breaking

Ties can arise in two situations: 

1. when determining a candidate to elect; or 

2. when selecting a candidate to defeat. 

In both cases, their position in the previous round determines which is elected or defeated. If required, the candidates’ positions can be considered round by round until a difference is found. 

In the very unlikely event that this process cannot distinguish a winner and loser, a random choice will be made.