Instant-runoff voting (IRV)
Create this votePut the options in order of preference, with your top choice first. Start by counting each voter’s first choice. If no option has more than half the votes, eliminate the option with the fewest. Each of its voters’ ballots then counts for the next option on that ballot that has not been eliminated.
Repeat until a remaining option has a majority. The original rankings supply the backup choices, so voters do not need to submit another ballot.
| Voters | First choice | Second choice | Third choice |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Park | Cinema | Museum |
| 3 | Museum | Cinema | Park |
| 2 | Cinema | Museum | Park |
No option has the five votes needed for a majority.
How backup choices count
Your second choice cannot take your vote away from your first. It receives your vote only after your first choice is eliminated, and only if it is still in the count. Each ballot supports one option at a time.
The order of elimination matters. An option that is many voters’ second choice can still be eliminated early if it has too few first choices. Once eliminated, it cannot receive later transfers. Condorcet voting takes a different approach by comparing every pair directly.
Host this vote
Voters rank every option. If options tie for the lowest count, a random priority shown before voting determines which is eliminated first. If all remaining totals are equal, the room reports a tie.