PollCraft / Ranked choice calculator
Ranked choice voting calculator
Enter candidates and ballots, and see the instant-runoff count round by round: who gets eliminated, where their ballots go, and who reaches a majority. Everything is calculated in your browser.
How instant-runoff counting works
- Count every ballot for its first choice.
- If a candidate has more than half of the ballots still in play, they win.
- Otherwise, eliminate the candidate with the fewest votes. Each of their ballots moves to its next choice that is still in the race.
- Ballots with no remaining choices are “exhausted” and drop out of the majority calculation.
- Repeat until someone has a majority.
Use the round arrows above to watch the transfers happen. The example is built so the plurality leader loses: A leads on first choices, but C’s supporters prefer B, so B overtakes A in the final round.
Ties
When several candidates tie for last, this calculator eliminates them together, which is a common simplification. Real election rules vary (some use lot, some look back at earlier rounds), so check your organisation’s rules before relying on a tie result.
Want to collect ranked ballots from a group? Create a ranked-choice poll; the host board runs this same count on the replies.
Questions people ask
What is ranked choice voting?
Voters rank candidates in order of preference. If nobody has a majority of first choices, the last-place candidate is eliminated and their ballots count for their next choice, repeating until someone has a majority. This method is also called instant-runoff voting (IRV).
Why can the plurality leader lose under ranked choice?
A candidate can lead on first choices but be ranked low by everyone else. When other candidates are eliminated, their ballots transfer to a rival, who can overtake the early leader.
What is an exhausted ballot?
A ballot whose ranked candidates have all been eliminated. It no longer counts toward any candidate, so the majority threshold is calculated from ballots still in play.
Does this calculator use single transferable vote (STV)?
No. It counts single-winner instant runoff. STV elects several winners and transfers surplus votes, which needs different rules.