Supplementary Vote
Used for London mayoral and Police and Crime Commissioners elections
More proportional than FPTP, but not significantly
A majority system (whoever wins should have over 50% of the vote)
1) Voters rank candidates in order of first and second choice
2) First preferences are counted- if a candidate gets over 50%, they are elected
3) If not, all candidates are eliminated except for the top two, then second choice votes are added
on to see who wins
Supplementary Vote: Advantages
Easy to understand and use
Fewer votes wasted than in FPTP
Encourages consensus campaigning, due to the focus on second preferences
Better than FPTP as a broader base of support (majority) is needed
Voters can vote for a minor party, yet still have a choice between the major two (so can vote for
both their ideal winner and their preference of the two realistic choices)
Supplementary Vote: Disadvantages
Does not ensure that the winner is supported by over 50% of voters, unlike in AV (as both
voter’s choices may be for candidates that drop out)
May encourage voters to support the main party candidate as their supplementary vote, rather
than their preferred candidate
Not proportional
Tends to result in the least unpopular candidate winning as opposed to the most popular
Doesn’t necessarily require a majority of support on first votes (most popular first choice
candidate may not win)
Voters who vote for two minor parties will have no impact
Used for London mayoral and Police and Crime Commissioners elections
More proportional than FPTP, but not significantly
A majority system (whoever wins should have over 50% of the vote)
1) Voters rank candidates in order of first and second choice
2) First preferences are counted- if a candidate gets over 50%, they are elected
3) If not, all candidates are eliminated except for the top two, then second choice votes are added
on to see who wins
Supplementary Vote: Advantages
Easy to understand and use
Fewer votes wasted than in FPTP
Encourages consensus campaigning, due to the focus on second preferences
Better than FPTP as a broader base of support (majority) is needed
Voters can vote for a minor party, yet still have a choice between the major two (so can vote for
both their ideal winner and their preference of the two realistic choices)
Supplementary Vote: Disadvantages
Does not ensure that the winner is supported by over 50% of voters, unlike in AV (as both
voter’s choices may be for candidates that drop out)
May encourage voters to support the main party candidate as their supplementary vote, rather
than their preferred candidate
Not proportional
Tends to result in the least unpopular candidate winning as opposed to the most popular
Doesn’t necessarily require a majority of support on first votes (most popular first choice
candidate may not win)
Voters who vote for two minor parties will have no impact
