Voters are allowed to indicate as many preferences as they wish on the ballot paper, in order of priority. The vote is initially given to indicate a voter's first preference for a candidate. However, if the vote is not needed to give the voter's preferred candidate the necessary quota of votes, or if that candidate is eliminated because of a deficiency in the number of votes given, the vote can then be transferred to one of the remaining candidates in accordance with the preference shown. This voting system is designed to ensure that in any region parties win a share of the seats broadly proportional to their share of the vote in that region. Political parties forward lists of candidates in their preferred ranking order, which cannot be changed.
Voters make one vote, for either a party or for an independent candidate.