Determining Majority of Votes Cast
The majority calculation can be found in A.R.S. § 9-821.01 (D) and is as follows:
Calculate the total number of actual votes cast for all candidates for an office;
Divide the sum by the number of seats to be filled for the office; and
Divide the number by 2 and round to the highest whole number.
Here, the actual votes cast include the total number of votes on each ballot. If a city or town has seven candidates running for three open city council seats, the formula works as follows:
Step 1: Calculate the total number of actual votes cast for all candidates for an office
Candidate 1 (3,999)
Candidate 2 (7,683)
Candidate 3 (15,830)*
Candidate 4 (10,336)
Candidate 5 (13,377)*
Candidate 6 (7,501)
Candidate 7 (5,201)
Total of Actual Votes Cast: 63,927
Step 2: Divide the sum by the number of seats to be filled for the office
Divide 63,927 by the 3 council seats = 21,309
Step 3: Divide the number by 2 and round to the highest whole number
Divide 21,309 by 2 = 10,654.5, which is rounded up to 10,655. This total is the majority of votes cast that a candidate must receive to be declared elected.
Election Result:
Candidates 3 and 5 are thereby elected to two of the three city council seats because they received the majority of votes cast and the highest number of votes. Candidates 1, 2, 4, 6, 7 did not achieve a majority vote. There is one seat left open and Candidate 4 and Candidate 2 as the next highest vote cast will move to the May Runoff election. Candidates 1, 6, and 7 would not...
What if More Candidates Received a Majority of Votes Cast than Seats to be filled?
If more candidates receive a majority of votes cast than there are seats to be filled for the office, A.R.S. § 9-821.01 (E) requires those candidates who received the highest number of votes equal to the number of seats to be filled to be declared elected. Again, no runoff is necessary. For example, if four candidates had received a majority of votes cast but there are only three council seats, the statute requires the three candidates with the highest number of votes to be declared elected.