DemoChoice Web Poll: Cambridge, MA 2005 School Committee Election

6 candidates will be elected with 15,470 ballots cast.


Round 1

Legend
Candidate Votes Status
Nolan, Patricia M.  Chart color  2,387.0  (15.4%)  Elected
Fantini, Alfred B.  Chart color  2,281.0  (14.8%)   
Walser, Nancy  Chart color  2,004.0  (13.0%)   
Grassi, Joseph G.  Chart color  1,990.0  (12.9%)   
Harding, Richard, Jr.  Chart color  1,981.0  (12.8%)   
Schuster, Luc  Chart color  1,843.0  (11.9%)   
Lummis, Ben  Chart color  1,514.0  (9.8%)   
McGovern, Marc C.  Chart color  1,413.0  (9.1%)   
Write-In 1  Chart color  54.0  (0.3%)   
Write-In 2  Chart color  2.0  (0.0%)   
Write-In 3  Chart color  1.0  (0.0%)   
None of these  Chart color  7.0  (0.0%)   
Pie chart

In the first round, the first choices on each ballot are tallied.
Nolan, Patricia M. has enough votes to guarantee victory (14.3%) and is declared a winner.To ensure that everyone's vote counts equally, votes that exceed that threshold are counted toward their next highest ranking (this is actually done by counting a fraction of ballots cast for the winning candidate).

Go to the next round.
















 

DemoChoice Web Poll: Cambridge, MA 2005 School Committee Election

6 candidates will be elected with 15,470 ballots cast.


Round 2

Legend
Candidate Votes Status
Nolan, Patricia M.  Chart color  2,210.0  (14.3%)   
Fantini, Alfred B.  Chart color  2,281.0  (14.7%)  Elected
Walser, Nancy  Chart color  2,041.5  (13.2%)   
Grassi, Joseph G.  Chart color  2,000.1  (12.9%)   
Harding, Richard, Jr.  Chart color  1,991.9  (12.9%)   
Schuster, Luc  Chart color  1,907.6  (12.3%)   
Lummis, Ben  Chart color  1,535.8  (9.9%)   
McGovern, Marc C.  Chart color  1,445.0  (9.3%)   
Write-In 1  Chart color  54.3  (0.4%)   
Write-In 2  Chart color  2.0  (0.0%)   
Write-In 3  Chart color  1.0  (0.0%)   
None of these  Chart color  2.0  (0.0%)   
Pie chart

Fantini, Alfred B. has enough votes to guarantee victory (14.3%) and is declared a winner.To ensure that everyone's vote counts equally, votes that exceed that threshold are counted toward their next highest ranking (this is actually done by counting a fraction of ballots cast for the winning candidate).

Go to the next round.
















   

DemoChoice Web Poll: Cambridge, MA 2005 School Committee Election

6 candidates will be elected with 15,470 ballots cast.


Round 3

Legend
Candidate Votes Status
Nolan, Patricia M.  Chart color  2,210.0  (14.3%)   
Fantini, Alfred B.  Chart color  2,210.0  (14.3%)   
Walser, Nancy  Chart color  2,047.0  (13.2%)   
Grassi, Joseph G.  Chart color  2,045.1  (13.2%)   
Harding, Richard, Jr.  Chart color  1,998.6  (12.9%)   
Schuster, Luc  Chart color  1,910.3  (12.3%)   
Lummis, Ben  Chart color  1,539.9  (9.9%)   
McGovern, Marc C.  Chart color  1,451.7  (9.4%)   
Write-In 1  Chart color  54.4  (0.4%)   
Write-In 2  Chart color  2.0  (0.0%)   
Write-In 3  Chart color  1.0  (0.0%)  Defeated
Pie chart

The last-place candidate (Write-In 3) is eliminated. Ballots for that candidate are counted toward their next highest ranking.

Go to the next round.
















 

DemoChoice Web Poll: Cambridge, MA 2005 School Committee Election

6 candidates will be elected with 15,470 ballots cast.


Round 4

Legend
Candidate Votes Status
Nolan, Patricia M.  Chart color  2,210.0  (14.3%)   
Fantini, Alfred B.  Chart color  2,210.0  (14.3%)   
Walser, Nancy  Chart color  2,047.0  (13.2%)   
Grassi, Joseph G.  Chart color  2,045.1  (13.2%)   
Harding, Richard, Jr.  Chart color  1,998.6  (12.9%)   
Schuster, Luc  Chart color  1,910.3  (12.3%)   
Lummis, Ben  Chart color  1,539.9  (9.9%)   
McGovern, Marc C.  Chart color  1,451.7  (9.4%)   
Write-In 1  Chart color  54.4  (0.4%)   
Write-In 2  Chart color  2.0  (0.0%)  Defeated
Write-In 6  Chart color  1.0  (0.0%)   
Pie chart

The last-place candidate (Write-In 2) is eliminated. Ballots for that candidate are counted toward their next highest ranking.

Go to the next round.
















 

DemoChoice Web Poll: Cambridge, MA 2005 School Committee Election

6 candidates will be elected with 15,470 ballots cast.


Round 5

Legend
Candidate Votes Status
Nolan, Patricia M.  Chart color  2,210.0  (14.3%)   
Fantini, Alfred B.  Chart color  2,210.0  (14.3%)   
Walser, Nancy  Chart color  2,047.0  (13.2%)   
Grassi, Joseph G.  Chart color  2,046.1  (13.2%)   
Harding, Richard, Jr.  Chart color  1,998.6  (12.9%)   
Schuster, Luc  Chart color  1,910.3  (12.3%)   
Lummis, Ben  Chart color  1,539.9  (9.9%)   
McGovern, Marc C.  Chart color  1,451.7  (9.4%)   
Write-In 1  Chart color  55.4  (0.4%)  Defeated
Write-In 6  Chart color  1.0  (0.0%)   
Pie chart

The last-place candidate (Write-In 1) is eliminated. Ballots for that candidate are counted toward their next highest ranking.

Go to the next round.
















 

DemoChoice Web Poll: Cambridge, MA 2005 School Committee Election

6 candidates will be elected with 15,470 ballots cast.


Round 6

Legend
Candidate Votes Status
Nolan, Patricia M.  Chart color  2,213.2  (14.3%)   
Fantini, Alfred B.  Chart color  2,210.2  (14.3%)   
Walser, Nancy  Chart color  2,053.0  (13.3%)   
Grassi, Joseph G.  Chart color  2,046.1  (13.2%)   
Harding, Richard, Jr.  Chart color  2,004.7  (13.0%)   
Schuster, Luc  Chart color  1,911.3  (12.4%)   
Lummis, Ben  Chart color  1,539.9  (10.0%)   
McGovern, Marc C.  Chart color  1,453.7  (9.4%)  Defeated
Write-In 6  Chart color  38.0  (0.2%)   
Pie chart

The last-place candidate (McGovern, Marc C.) is eliminated. Ballots for that candidate are counted toward their next highest ranking.

Go to the next round.
















 

DemoChoice Web Poll: Cambridge, MA 2005 School Committee Election

6 candidates will be elected with 15,470 ballots cast.


Round 7

Legend
Candidate Votes Status
Nolan, Patricia M.  Chart color  2,254.0  (14.6%)   
Fantini, Alfred B.  Chart color  2,246.3  (14.5%)   
Walser, Nancy  Chart color  2,418.1  (15.6%)  Elected
Grassi, Joseph G.  Chart color  2,146.7  (13.9%)   
Harding, Richard, Jr.  Chart color  2,221.7  (14.4%)   
Schuster, Luc  Chart color  2,159.7  (14.0%)   
Lummis, Ben  Chart color  1,819.5  (11.8%)   
Write-In 6  Chart color  204.0  (1.3%)   
None of these  Chart color  9.0  (0.1%)   
Pie chart

Walser, Nancy has enough votes to guarantee victory (14.3%) and is declared a winner.To ensure that everyone's vote counts equally, votes that exceed that threshold are counted toward their next highest ranking (this is actually done by counting a fraction of ballots cast for the winning candidate).

Go to the next round.
















 

DemoChoice Web Poll: Cambridge, MA 2005 School Committee Election

6 candidates will be elected with 15,470 ballots cast.


Round 8

Legend
Candidate Votes Status
Nolan, Patricia M.  Chart color  2,254.0  (14.6%)   
Fantini, Alfred B.  Chart color  2,246.3  (14.5%)   
Walser, Nancy  Chart color  2,180.9  (14.1%)   
Grassi, Joseph G.  Chart color  2,210.2  (14.3%)   
Harding, Richard, Jr.  Chart color  2,221.7  (14.4%)   
Schuster, Luc  Chart color  2,221.7  (14.4%)   
Lummis, Ben  Chart color  1,931.2  (12.5%)  Defeated
Write-In 6  Chart color  204.0  (1.3%)   
Pie chart

The last-place candidate (Lummis, Ben) is eliminated. Ballots for that candidate are counted toward their next highest ranking.

Go to the next round.
















 

DemoChoice Web Poll: Cambridge, MA 2005 School Committee Election

6 candidates will be elected with 15,470 ballots cast.


Round 9

Legend
Candidate Votes Status
Nolan, Patricia M.  Chart color  2,658.0  (17.2%)   
Fantini, Alfred B.  Chart color  2,382.6  (15.4%)   
Walser, Nancy  Chart color  2,826.8  (18.3%)  Elected
Grassi, Joseph G.  Chart color  2,280.2  (14.7%)   
Harding, Richard, Jr.  Chart color  2,435.7  (15.8%)   
Schuster, Luc  Chart color  2,451.7  (15.9%)   
Write-In 6  Chart color  435.0  (2.8%)   
None of these  Chart color  9.0  (0.1%)   
Pie chart

Walser, Nancy has enough votes to guarantee victory (14.3%) and is declared a winner.To ensure that everyone's vote counts equally, votes that exceed that threshold are counted toward their next highest ranking (this is actually done by counting a fraction of ballots cast for the winning candidate).

Go to the next round.
















 

DemoChoice Web Poll: Cambridge, MA 2005 School Committee Election

6 candidates will be elected with 15,470 ballots cast.


Round 10

Legend
Candidate Votes Status
Nolan, Patricia M.  Chart color  2,658.0  (17.2%)  Elected
Fantini, Alfred B.  Chart color  2,439.6  (15.8%)   
Walser, Nancy  Chart color  2,505.8  (16.2%)   
Grassi, Joseph G.  Chart color  2,327.2  (15.0%)   
Harding, Richard, Jr.  Chart color  2,536.7  (16.4%)   
Schuster, Luc  Chart color  2,567.7  (16.6%)   
Write-In 6  Chart color  435.0  (2.8%)   
None of these  Chart color  7.0  (0.0%)   
Pie chart

Nolan, Patricia M. has enough votes to guarantee victory (14.3%) and is declared a winner.To ensure that everyone's vote counts equally, votes that exceed that threshold are counted toward their next highest ranking (this is actually done by counting a fraction of ballots cast for the winning candidate).

Go to the next round.
















 

DemoChoice Web Poll: Cambridge, MA 2005 School Committee Election

6 candidates will be elected with 15,470 ballots cast.


Round 11

Legend
Candidate Votes Status
Nolan, Patricia M.  Chart color  2,505.8  (16.2%)   
Fantini, Alfred B.  Chart color  2,508.9  (16.2%)   
Walser, Nancy  Chart color  2,505.8  (16.2%)   
Grassi, Joseph G.  Chart color  2,410.1  (15.6%)   
Harding, Richard, Jr.  Chart color  2,536.7  (16.4%)   
Schuster, Luc  Chart color  2,567.7  (16.6%)  Elected
Write-In 6  Chart color  435.0  (2.8%)   
None of these  Chart color  8.0  (0.1%)   
Pie chart

Schuster, Luc has enough votes to guarantee victory (14.3%) and is declared a winner.To ensure that everyone's vote counts equally, votes that exceed that threshold are counted toward their next highest ranking (this is actually done by counting a fraction of ballots cast for the winning candidate).

Go to the next round.
















 

DemoChoice Web Poll: Cambridge, MA 2005 School Committee Election

6 candidates will be elected with 15,470 ballots cast.


Round 12

Legend
Candidate Votes Status
Nolan, Patricia M.  Chart color  2,505.8  (16.2%)   
Fantini, Alfred B.  Chart color  2,508.9  (16.2%)   
Walser, Nancy  Chart color  2,505.8  (16.2%)   
Grassi, Joseph G.  Chart color  2,472.0  (16.0%)   
Harding, Richard, Jr.  Chart color  2,536.7  (16.4%)  Elected
Schuster, Luc  Chart color  2,505.8  (16.2%)   
Write-In 6  Chart color  435.0  (2.8%)   
None of these  Chart color  4.0  (0.0%)   
Pie chart

Harding, Richard, Jr. has enough votes to guarantee victory (14.3%) and is declared a winner.To ensure that everyone's vote counts equally, votes that exceed that threshold are counted toward their next highest ranking (this is actually done by counting a fraction of ballots cast for the winning candidate).

Go to the next round.
















 

DemoChoice Web Poll: Cambridge, MA 2005 School Committee Election

6 candidates will be elected with 15,470 ballots cast.


Round 13

Legend
Candidate Votes Status
Nolan, Patricia M.  Chart color  2,505.8  (16.2%)   
Fantini, Alfred B.  Chart color  2,508.9  (16.2%)  Elected
Walser, Nancy  Chart color  2,505.8  (16.2%)   
Grassi, Joseph G.  Chart color  2,502.8  (16.2%)   
Harding, Richard, Jr.  Chart color  2,505.8  (16.2%)   
Schuster, Luc  Chart color  2,505.8  (16.2%)   
Write-In 6  Chart color  435.0  (2.8%)   
None of these  Chart color  2.0  (0.0%)   
Pie chart

Fantini, Alfred B. has enough votes to guarantee victory (14.3%) and is declared a winner.To ensure that everyone's vote counts equally, votes that exceed that threshold are counted toward their next highest ranking (this is actually done by counting a fraction of ballots cast for the winning candidate).

Go to the next round.
















 

DemoChoice Web Poll: Cambridge, MA 2005 School Committee Election

6 candidates will be elected with 15,470 ballots cast.


Round 14

Legend
Candidate Votes Status
Nolan, Patricia M.  Chart color  2,505.8  (16.2%)  Elected
Fantini, Alfred B.  Chart color  2,505.8  (16.2%)  Elected
Walser, Nancy  Chart color  2,505.8  (16.2%)  Elected
Grassi, Joseph G.  Chart color  2,505.8  (16.2%)  Elected
Harding, Richard, Jr.  Chart color  2,505.8  (16.2%)  Elected
Schuster, Luc  Chart color  2,505.8  (16.2%)  Elected
Write-In 6  Chart color  435.0  (2.8%)  Defeated
Pie chart

At this point, the number of remaining candidates equals the number of remaining seats, so the remaining candidates are declared elected.

In the end, 97.2% of all cast ballots counted toward a winner. This compares to 80.7% if only the first-round votes were used. You should be able to see that the winners have a more equal mandate in the final round than in the first round.

Note that even the "highest first-round votes" method is more democratic than most methods used in US public elections: the "vote for 6" method, which allows the largest block of voters to dominate, and the district method, where choices are restricted to the one or two viable candidates within geographical boundaries drawn by the politicians in office.

Also, view the Ballot Depth info to see how much lower rankings contributed to the tally.
















 

DemoChoice Web Poll: Cambridge, MA 2005 School Committee Election

6 candidates will be elected with 15,470 ballots cast.


Ballot Depth

This shows how much the lower rankings on ballots contributed to the winning candidates.

Rank Fraction of votes for winners
1st    78.5% 
2nd    11.2% 
3rd    4.9% 
4th    1.4% 
5th    0.6% 
6th    0.3% 
7th    0.3% 
15th    2.8% 
Pie chart