Counting the Votes
The constituency votes are counted and candidates who receive the most votes are returned for the 73 constituencies.
The regional votes are subject to a method of calculation for the list system known as the modified d’Hondt formula.
Each Constituency Returning Officer notifies the Regional Returning Officer of the number of votes cast for each registered political party and individual candidate in the regional contest, as well as the number of constituency seats gained by each registered political party.
The Regional Returning Officer then totals the constituency results for each registered political party and individual candidate in the regional ballot, as well as the number of constituency seats won in the region by each registered party.
The number of votes cast in the regional ballot for each registered political party or individual candidate is divided by the number of constituency seats gained by a party or individual, plus one.
This allows parties or individuals who have not won any constituencies, or who did not stand in the constituency contest, to be included in the final calculation.
The party or individual candidate with the highest resulting figure gains the first regional seat.
To allocate the second to seventh regional seats the calculation is redone with additional seats gained added to the calculation each time.
For example:
| Party 1 | Party 2 | Party 3 | Party 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regional votes | 61,974 | 63,362 | 61,189 | 37,206 |
| Constituency seats | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 1st win:Party 4 | Divide by 3 = 20,658 | Divide by 5 = 12,672 | Divide by 2 = 30,595 | Divide by 1 = 37,206 |
| 2nd win:Party 3 | 20,658 | 12,672 | 30,595 | Divide by 2 = 18,603 |
| 3rd win:Party 1 | 20,658 | 12,672 | Divide by 3 = 20,396 | 18,603 |
| 4th win:Party 3 | Divide by 4 = 15,494 | 12,672 | 20,396 | 18,603 |
| 5th win:Party 4 | 15,494 | 12,672 | Divide by 4 = 15,297 | 18,603 |
| 6th win:Party 1 | 15,494 | 12,672 | 15,297 | Divide by 3 = 12,402 |
| 7th win:Party 3 | Divide by 5 = 12,395 | 12,672 | 15,297 | 12,402 |
| Additional seats | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Total seats in Region | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
The seats which the formula determines each political party is entitled to are filled by candidates in the order in which their names appear on the list.