Multiple Candidates with simple majority

[rlsmith57]

We have an upcoming election for a position and would like clarification on how to handle multiple candidates running for one position with simple majority vote. Our SOP's state that the election will be voted on an must obtain a simple majority vote and may be recast up to 3 times. They are to vote for 1 candidate only. If there is a tie what happens.

From my understanding is that 1 person of the 4 must have a simple majority (50% +1) to win. If there is not a simple majority vote or there is is a tie, then all 4 must be recast and voted upon, not just the two that tied. Am I understanding this correctly?

Any help you can offer on this would be greatly appreciated.

[Rev Ed]

If no one receives a majority, then there is another ballot, and another ballot until someone receives a majority. And unless the By-laws call for it, or someone withdraws, all the candidates remain on the ballot.

[Kim Goldsworthy]

Our SOP's state that the election will be voted on and must obtain a simple majority vote and

may be recast up to 3 times.

Okay, I'll bite:

Q. What do you guys do AFTER the 3rd time?

[Gary Novosielski]

From my understanding is that 1 person of the 4 must have a simple majority (50% +1) to win. If there is not a simple majority vote or there is is a tie, then all 4 must be recast and voted upon, not just the two that tied. Am I understanding this correctly?

Yes, you have it right, although that 50%+1 thing is a little inaccurate. Nobody gets dropped unless they withdraw. And it certainly would not make sense to keep the two that tied if they were tied for last place. But a tie is less always less than a majority.

The easiest way to test for a majority vote in a one-seat election is this:

To be elected, a person must have a greater number of votes than the total votes for all others, combined.

(Ballots with no name filled in--i.e., left blank or marked with "No" or "None-of-the-above"--are not included. Votes for cartoon mice or other named individuals, real or fictitious, are.)

This means the winning name must appear on more than half of the (non-abstaining) ballots cast. But any fractional amount more than 50.0000%, no matter how small, is sufficient (not "+1").