The ballots for each seat must be counted in rounds.
(A) In the first round, every ballot counts as a vote for the first-choice candidate on that ballot.
(B) If no candidate receives a majority in the first or a subsequent round, the candidate receiving the fewest number of votes in that round is eliminated.
(C) Every ballot counting towards the eliminated candidate is then counted again for votes cast for the next-ranked continuing candidate. All the continuing ballots for all continuing candidates are then tabulated in a new round.
(D) Where a skipped ranking situation arises, the elector's votes will be counted as if no skipped ranking had occurred, and the County's Registrar of Voters is directed to count the elector's next-ranked choice in the next round, whether or not the choice is accurately sequentially numbered. In the example above, this means that the elector's third-choice candidate would be counted as the elector's second-choice candidate, and so on.
(E) In the final round, the candidate who receives the majority of votes from the continuing ballots is the winner. If two candidates in the final round are tied, the winner will be the tied candidate who received the higher number of votes in round one.
(F) In the event that there is a tie in any other rank or round besides the top two candidates in the final round, the candidate who is eliminated will be selected by lot (e.g. by a coin flip or other random metric), unless such selection is not necessary because a top candidate has already been determined.
(Ord. 928-C.S., passed 12-7-21; Am. Ord. 955-C.S., passed 7-16-24)