Why does the single transferable vote system emphasize candidates more than political parties?

The single transferable vote (STV) system emphasizes individual candidates over political parties primarily because the party affiliation of candidates has no bearing on the electoral computations.1

Unlike other proportional representation methods that may rely on party lists, the STV formula focuses on the aggregation of ranked preferences provided by voters for specific individuals. Because the system allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference, the success of a candidate depends on their ability to secure enough first-preference votes to meet a specific quota or to benefit from the transfer of surplus votes from other candidates.21

This mechanism distinguishes STV from other systems by centering the electoral process on the candidate's personal appeal and the voter's specific choices, rather than the party's platform or organizational structure. Consequently, while the system still allows for the representation of various political groups, the mechanics of the vote counting process prioritize the individual candidate's performance throughout the transfer of preferences.12