By Mike Robertson

The Single Transferable Vote (STV) is used when you want to elect several people at a time as is the case in Orkney.

It may be different from what you’re used to because you give an order of preference instead of just picking one.  

It’s also different because it helps to avoid wasted votes.  

How can a vote be wasted?  Well, suppose there is a popular candidate who lots of people vote for.   Once they have enough votes to be elected all their extra votes are wasted because they cannot change anything.  So, if your first choice doesn’t need your vote it is transferred to your second choice and this continues with your third choice and so on.

You don’t have to give a preference to all the candidates.  If there’s one (or more) you really don’t want to get elected, then leave their box blank and your vote will never be transferred to them.

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Elections to Orkney Islands Council take place on Thursday May 5th 2022. Anyone aged 16 or over that day, resident in Orkney and registered to vote, will be able to vote.

Here are the candidates: