How are votes redistributed in an alternative-vote election?

In an alternative-vote election—also known as ranked-choice voting or instant-runoff voting—votes are redistributed through a sequential process designed to ensure the winner achieves a majority (more than 50 percent) of the vote.1

The process functions as follows:

• Initial Count: Voters rank candidates in order of preference. If a candidate receives a majority of first-preference votes, they win the election immediately.1
• Elimination and Reassignment: If no candidate secures a majority, the candidate with the fewest first-preference votes is eliminated from the contest.1
• Redistribution: The ballots that listed the eliminated candidate as their first choice are then reassigned to the next-highest-ranked candidate remaining on those specific ballots.1
• Iteration: This process of eliminating the lowest-performing candidate and reassigning their votes to the next preferences of their supporters continues in rounds until one candidate achieves a majority of the votes.1

This method effectively conducts an "instant runoff," eliminating the need for a separate, subsequent election date to determine a winner among the top candidates.1