Part 13 (1/2)

As the papers were sorted the two a.s.sistants supervising these processes took them to the small tables (checking and counting tables) ranged on either side of the sorting table. These tables were appropriated to the various candidates, and when it was expected that a candidate would poll a large number of votes--_e.g.,_ in the cases of Mr. Asquith and Mr.

Balfour--several tables were allotted to him. At each of these tables sat two counters who acted in accordance with the following instructions:--

1. Count the papers into bundles of fifty.

2. See that the figure 1 appears against the name of the candidate whose papers are being counted.

3. Place mis-sorts at the side of the table.

4. Count each bundle twice.

5. Place on the top of each bundle a coloured slip bearing the candidate's name (already printed).

6. Note the final bundle with the number of papers therein contained.

The counters thus checked the accuracy of the sorters' work, and labelled the bundles of each candidate's votes with a card of a distinctive colour bearing his name. These bundles of votes were then taken to the returning officer's table, where there awaited them a row of twelve deep, three-sided open boxes, each labelled with the name of a candidate. The returning officer's a.s.sistants at this table made up the bundles of 50 into parcels of 500, and ascertained the total number of votes for each candidate, carefully keeping each candidate's papers in his own allotted box.

Lastly, the results as ascertained were shown on large blackboards. If and whenever any doubt arose as to the validity of a vote, it was taken to the returning officer by the supervisors and adjudicated upon by him.

The accuracy of the sorting may be judged by the fact that when the 9043 votes attributed to Mr. Asquith on the first count were subsequently a.n.a.lyzed, it was found that only one paper was wrongly placed to his credit, a Liberal vote which should have gone first to Mr. Lloyd George.

As to these arrangements, one suggestion may be made for the guidance of future returning officers: it was found in practice that the work at the returning officer's table was too heavy for the two a.s.sistants to keep pace with the rapidity with which the votes were sorted and counted. Two a.s.sistants are required for the purpose of keeping a record of the various processes; two others for receiving and distributing the ballot papers.

_The first count._

The first duty of the returning officer, as already explained, was to ascertain the total number of votes polled by each candidate, each ballot paper being a vote for the candidate marked 1 thereon. This was a simple task, which took about an hour and a quarter, and yielded the following result:--

Asquith (Liberal) 9,042 Balfour (Unionist) 4,478 Lloyd George (Liberal) 2,751 Macdonald (Labour) 2,124 Henderson (Labour) 1,038 Long (Unionist) 672 Hugh Cecil (Unionist Free Trader) 460 Shackleton (Labour) 398 Burt (Liberal) 260 Leif Jones (Liberal) 191 Smith (Unionist) 164 Joynson-Hicks (Unionist) 94 ------ Total 21,672

_The Quota._

It will be seen that, with this method of election, the general result, showing the relative strength of the parties, can be quickly ascertained, but, some time elapses before the definitive result, with the names of all the successful candidates, can be published. The first step necessary in determining which candidates were successful was to ascertain the _quota_, and this, in accordance with the rule above stated,[13] was found by dividing the total number of votes by six and adding one to the result. The number was found to be 3613, and the table given above shows that on the first count Mr. Asquith and Mr. Balfour had each polled more than a quota of votes. Both these candidates were, in accordance with the rules, declared elected, and, as some misapprehension prevails on this point, it should be stated that the order of seniority of members elected under this system would be determined by the order in which they were declared elected. In this case Mr. Asquith and Mr. Balfour would be the senior members in the order named.

_The transfer of surplus votes._

The peculiar feature of the single transferable vote now came into play.

Both Mr. Asquith and Mr. Balfour had polled more votes than were sufficient to ensure their election, and in order that these excess votes should not be wasted and a result produced such as that already shown to be possible where the votes are not transferable, it was the duty of the returning officer to transfer these surplus votes, and in doing so to carry out strictly the wishes of the electors as indicated on their ballot papers.

The largest surplus, that of Mr. Asquith, was first dealt with, and the transfer of votes, as already mentioned, was effected in accordance with the provisions of Lord Courtney's Munic.i.p.al Representation Bill. All the votes recorded for Mr. Asquith were re-examined, all the ballot papers contained in his box being taken to the central table and re-sorted according to the next available preferences indicated by the electors.

For this purpose the names of the elected candidates were removed from their former pigeon-holes, and one of the compartments vacated was marked ”exhausted” and used as a receptacle for those papers which contained no available next preference. The instructions to sorters were:--

1. Sort the ballot papers according to the highest available preference.

2. When no further preference is indicated, place the ballot paper in the compartment marked ”exhausted.”

The term ”next available preferences” needs definition. As a rule the next preference was the candidate marked with the figure 2; but if any supporter of Mr. Asquith had indicated Mr. Balfour (already elected) as his second choice, then the elector's third choice became the ”next available preference.” The papers for each next preference were made into bundles of 50, but, instead of a coloured card with the name of the candidate, a white ”transfer” card was placed with each bundle. The transfer card was marked with the name of the candidate whose papers were being re-sorted and also with the name of the candidate who had been indicated as the next available preference. The instructions issued to the counters were as follows:--

_(a)_1. Check the sorting of the papers, _i.e.,_ see that the candidate whose papers are being counted is the highest available preference.

2. Place mis-sorts at the side of the table.

_(b)_ 1. Count the papers into bundles of fifty.