Counting the votes, election of more than one candidate
 26. (1) In a ranked ballot election in which more than one candidate is to be elected to an office, the votes are counted in accordance with this section and in the sequence set out in this section. (2) Threshold: Calculate the threshold for the office under section 19. (3) First round of vote counting: Conduct the first round of vote counting as follows: 1. Count the number of votes cast for each candidate as indicated by each elector’s highest ranking on their ballot. 2. Determine the number of candidates for whom the number of votes cast, as described in paragraph 1, equals or exceeds the threshold. 3. If the number of candidates determined under paragraph 2 equals the number of candidates to be elected to the office, take no further steps under this section and, as soon as possible after voting day, the clerk shall declare all of those candidates to be elected. 4. If the number of candidates determined under paragraph 2 is less than the number of candidates to be elected to the office, determine which of them has the greatest number of votes (the “successful candidate”) and, as soon as possible after voting day, the clerk shall declare that candidate to be elected. 5. If there is no successful candidate, eliminate a single candidate or batch of candidates in accordance with section 20 or 21. If there is a tie between two or more candidates, resolve the tie in accordance with section 27. 6. The candidates (other than the successful candidate, if any) who have not been eliminated under paragraph 5 are continuing candidates for the next round. (4) Exhausted ballots: Identify any exhausted ballots. (5) Transfer of partial votes from the successful candidate: For each vote cast for the successful candidate, if any, in the first round, determine the surplus portion of the vote and transfer it from the successful candidate to the continuing candidates as follows: 1. Calculate the transfer ratio for the successful candidate in the first round, using the formula, (F – E) ÷ F in which, “E” is the threshold for the office, and “F” is the number of votes cast for the successful candidate. 2. For each vote cast for the successful candidate (referred to in this subsection and in subsection (7) as a “successful vote”), calculate the surplus portion of the vote using the formula, G × H in which, “G” is the transfer ratio for the successful candidate, and “H” is one vote. 3. For each elector who cast a successful vote, transfer the surplus portion of the elector’s successful vote to the continuing candidate who, as marked on the elector’s ballot, has the highest ranking of all of the continuing candidates. If the elector’s ballot is exhausted, the surplus portion of his or her vote shall not apply to any candidate. (6) Transfer of votes from eliminated candidates: Transfer the votes from the candidates, if any, eliminated in the first round to the continuing candidates as follows: 1. Transfer each vote cast for each candidate eliminated in the first round to the continuing candidate who, as marked on the same elector’s ballot, has the highest ranking of all of the continuing candidates. If the elector’s ballot is exhausted, his or her vote for an eliminated candidate shall not apply to any candidate. (7) Second round of vote counting: Conduct the second round of vote counting as follows: 1. Count the number of votes cast for each continuing candidate as indicated by each elector’s highest ranking of the continuing candidates on their ballot and count the number of votes, and the surplus portion of successful votes, that were transferred to the candidate after the previous round. 2. If the number of votes received by one or more candidates exceeds the threshold, determine which of them has the greatest number of votes (the “successful candidate”) and, as soon as possible after voting day, the clerk shall declare that candidate to be elected. 3. If the cumulative number of successful candidates equals the number of candidates to be elected to office, take no further steps under this section and, as soon as possible after voting day, the clerk shall declare those candidates to be elected. 4. If there is no successful candidate in this round, eliminate a single candidate or batch of candidates in accordance with section 20 or 21. If there is a tie between two or more candidates, the tie is resolved in accordance with section 27. 5. The candidates (other than any successful candidates) who have not been eliminated under paragraph 4 are continuing candidates for the next round. (8) Exhausted ballots: Identify any exhausted ballots. (9) Transfer of partial votes from the successful candidate: Transfer the votes received in the second round by the successful candidate, if any, to the continuing candidates as follows: 1. Calculate the transfer ratio for the successful candidate in the second round, using the formula, (J – E) ÷ J in which, “E” is the threshold for the office, and “J” is the number of votes received by the successful candidate, including transferred votes. 2. For each vote cast for the successful candidate and each vote transferred from an eliminated candidate after the previous round (each of which is referred to in this subsection and in subsection (10) as a “successful vote”), calculate the surplus portion of the successful vote using the formula, K × L in which, “K” is the transfer ratio for the successful candidate, and “L” is one vote. 3. Transfer the surplus portion of the successful vote to the continuing candidate who, as marked on the same elector’s ballot, has the highest ranking of all of the continuing candidates. If the elector’s ballot is exhausted, the surplus portion of his or her vote shall not apply to any candidate. 4. For each surplus portion of a successful vote that was transferred to the successful candidate after the previous round (the “previously transferred portion”), calculate the surplus portion of the previously transferred portion using the formula, K × M in which, “K” is the transfer ratio for the successful candidate, and “M” is the previously transferred portion of one vote. 5. Transfer the surplus portion of the previously transferred portion to the continuing candidate who, as marked on the same elector’s ballot, has the highest ranking of all of the continuing candidates. If the elector’s ballot is exhausted, the surplus portion of the previously transferred portion shall not apply to any candidate. (10) Transfer of votes from eliminated candidates: Transfer the votes received in the second round by the candidates, if any, eliminated in that round to the continuing candidates as follows: 1. Transfer each vote cast for each candidate eliminated in the second round to the continuing candidate who, as marked on the same elector’s ballot, has the highest ranking of all of the continuing candidates. If the elector’s ballot is exhausted, his or her vote for an eliminated candidate shall not apply to any candidate. 2. Transfer each vote that was transferred to the eliminated candidate after a previous round to the continuing candidate who, as marked on the same elector’s ballot, has the highest ranking of all of the continuing candidates. If the elector’s ballot is exhausted, his or her vote shall not apply to any candidate. 3. Transfer the previously transferred portion of any successful vote that was transferred to the eliminated candidate after the previous round to the continuing candidate who, as marked on the same elector’s ballot, has the highest ranking of all of the continuing candidates. If the elector’s ballot is exhausted, the previously transferred portion of his or her vote shall not apply to any candidate. (11) For subsequent rounds of vote counting: Repeat the steps set out in subsections (7) to (10), with necessary modifications, until the number of continuing candidates equals the remaining number of candidates to be elected to the office, or until only two continuing candidates remain. Then take the following steps: 1. If the number of continuing candidates equals the remaining number of candidates to be elected to the office, take no further steps under this section and, as soon as possible after voting day, the clerk shall declare those candidates to be elected. 2. If only two continuing candidates remain, the clerk shall, as soon as possible after voting day, declare the candidate with the most votes, including transferred votes, to be elected. (12) The amounts referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 of subsection (5) and paragraphs 1, 2 and 4 of subsection (9) shall be calculated to four decimal places, ignoring any remainder.