DemoChoice Web Poll: Cambridge, MA 2007 School Committee Election

6 candidates will be elected with 13,709 ballots cast.


Round 1

Legend
Candidate Votes Status
McGovern, Marc C.  Chart color  2,277.0  (16.6%)  Elected
Fantini, Alfred B.  Chart color  2,017.0  (14.7%)   
Schuster, Luc  Chart color  1,680.0  (12.3%)   
Nolan, Patricia M.  Chart color  1,672.0  (12.2%)   
Grassi, Joseph G.  Chart color  1,629.0  (11.9%)   
Harding, Richard, Jr.  Chart color  1,562.0  (11.4%)   
Tauber, Nancy  Chart color  1,246.0  (9.1%)   
Lemily Wiggins, Gail  Chart color  1,024.0  (7.5%)   
Write-In 1  Chart color  468.0  (3.4%)   
Malner, Stefan  Chart color  133.0  (1.0%)   
Write-In 2  Chart color  1.0  (0.0%)   
Pie chart

In the first round, the first choices on each ballot are tallied.
McGovern, Marc C. 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 2007 School Committee Election

6 candidates will be elected with 13,709 ballots cast.


Round 2

Legend
Candidate Votes Status
McGovern, Marc C.  Chart color  1,958.4  (14.3%)   
Fantini, Alfred B.  Chart color  2,017.0  (14.7%)  Elected
Schuster, Luc  Chart color  1,743.5  (12.7%)   
Nolan, Patricia M.  Chart color  1,789.3  (13.1%)   
Grassi, Joseph G.  Chart color  1,651.4  (12.0%)   
Harding, Richard, Jr.  Chart color  1,605.5  (11.7%)   
Tauber, Nancy  Chart color  1,286.6  (9.4%)   
Lemily Wiggins, Gail  Chart color  1,047.5  (7.6%)   
Write-In 1  Chart color  468.3  (3.4%)   
Malner, Stefan  Chart color  140.3  (1.0%)   
Write-In 2  Chart color  1.0  (0.0%)   
Write-In 6  Chart color  0.2  (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 2007 School Committee Election

6 candidates will be elected with 13,709 ballots cast.


Round 3

Legend
Candidate Votes Status
McGovern, Marc C.  Chart color  1,958.4  (14.3%)   
Fantini, Alfred B.  Chart color  1,958.4  (14.3%)   
Schuster, Luc  Chart color  1,745.9  (12.7%)   
Nolan, Patricia M.  Chart color  1,794.7  (13.1%)   
Grassi, Joseph G.  Chart color  1,690.0  (12.3%)   
Harding, Richard, Jr.  Chart color  1,611.4  (11.8%)   
Tauber, Nancy  Chart color  1,289.2  (9.4%)   
Lemily Wiggins, Gail  Chart color  1,050.2  (7.7%)   
Write-In 1  Chart color  468.4  (3.4%)   
Malner, Stefan  Chart color  141.3  (1.0%)   
Write-In 2  Chart color  1.0  (0.0%)   
Write-In 6  Chart color  0.2  (0.0%)  Defeated
Pie chart

The last-place candidate (Write-In 6) is eliminated. Ballots for that candidate are counted toward their next highest ranking.

Go to the next round.
















 

DemoChoice Web Poll: Cambridge, MA 2007 School Committee Election

6 candidates will be elected with 13,709 ballots cast.


Round 4

Legend
Candidate Votes Status
McGovern, Marc C.  Chart color  1,958.4  (14.3%)   
Fantini, Alfred B.  Chart color  1,958.4  (14.3%)   
Schuster, Luc  Chart color  1,745.9  (12.7%)   
Nolan, Patricia M.  Chart color  1,794.7  (13.1%)   
Grassi, Joseph G.  Chart color  1,690.2  (12.3%)   
Harding, Richard, Jr.  Chart color  1,611.4  (11.8%)   
Tauber, Nancy  Chart color  1,289.2  (9.4%)   
Lemily Wiggins, Gail  Chart color  1,050.2  (7.7%)   
Write-In 1  Chart color  468.4  (3.4%)   
Malner, Stefan  Chart color  141.3  (1.0%)   
Write-In 2  Chart color  1.0  (0.0%)  Defeated
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 2007 School Committee Election

6 candidates will be elected with 13,709 ballots cast.


Round 5

Legend
Candidate Votes Status
McGovern, Marc C.  Chart color  1,958.4  (14.3%)   
Fantini, Alfred B.  Chart color  1,958.4  (14.3%)   
Schuster, Luc  Chart color  1,745.9  (12.7%)   
Nolan, Patricia M.  Chart color  1,794.7  (13.1%)   
Grassi, Joseph G.  Chart color  1,691.2  (12.3%)   
Harding, Richard, Jr.  Chart color  1,611.4  (11.8%)   
Tauber, Nancy  Chart color  1,289.2  (9.4%)   
Lemily Wiggins, Gail  Chart color  1,050.2  (7.7%)   
Write-In 1  Chart color  468.4  (3.4%)   
Malner, Stefan  Chart color  141.3  (1.0%)  Defeated
Pie chart

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

Go to the next round.
















 

DemoChoice Web Poll: Cambridge, MA 2007 School Committee Election

6 candidates will be elected with 13,709 ballots cast.


Round 6

Legend
Candidate Votes Status
McGovern, Marc C.  Chart color  1,959.9  (14.3%)   
Fantini, Alfred B.  Chart color  1,959.8  (14.3%)   
Schuster, Luc  Chart color  1,761.7  (12.9%)   
Nolan, Patricia M.  Chart color  1,817.8  (13.3%)   
Grassi, Joseph G.  Chart color  1,698.4  (12.4%)   
Harding, Richard, Jr.  Chart color  1,621.8  (11.8%)   
Tauber, Nancy  Chart color  1,317.4  (9.6%)   
Lemily Wiggins, Gail  Chart color  1,081.0  (7.9%)   
Write-In 1  Chart color  469.4  (3.4%)  Defeated
None of these  Chart color  22.0  (0.2%)   
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 2007 School Committee Election

6 candidates will be elected with 13,709 ballots cast.


Round 7

Legend
Candidate Votes Status
McGovern, Marc C.  Chart color  1,961.9  (14.8%)   
Fantini, Alfred B.  Chart color  1,960.8  (14.8%)   
Schuster, Luc  Chart color  1,762.7  (13.3%)   
Nolan, Patricia M.  Chart color  1,820.9  (13.8%)   
Grassi, Joseph G.  Chart color  1,699.4  (12.8%)   
Harding, Richard, Jr.  Chart color  1,623.8  (12.3%)   
Tauber, Nancy  Chart color  1,320.6  (10.0%)   
Lemily Wiggins, Gail  Chart color  1,083.0  (8.2%)  Defeated
None of these  Chart color  476.0  (3.6%)   
Pie chart

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

Go to the next round.
















 

DemoChoice Web Poll: Cambridge, MA 2007 School Committee Election

6 candidates will be elected with 13,709 ballots cast.


Round 8

Legend
Candidate Votes Status
McGovern, Marc C.  Chart color  2,001.8  (15.3%)   
Fantini, Alfred B.  Chart color  1,975.6  (15.1%)   
Schuster, Luc  Chart color  1,930.7  (14.7%)   
Nolan, Patricia M.  Chart color  1,995.8  (15.2%)  Elected
Grassi, Joseph G.  Chart color  1,786.6  (13.6%)   
Harding, Richard, Jr.  Chart color  1,689.6  (12.9%)   
Tauber, Nancy  Chart color  1,718.8  (13.1%)   
None of these  Chart color  610.0  (4.7%)   
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 2007 School Committee Election

6 candidates will be elected with 13,709 ballots cast.


Round 9

Legend
Candidate Votes Status
McGovern, Marc C.  Chart color  2,001.8  (15.3%)   
Fantini, Alfred B.  Chart color  1,975.6  (15.1%)   
Schuster, Luc  Chart color  1,930.7  (14.7%)  Elected
Nolan, Patricia M.  Chart color  1,871.3  (14.3%)   
Grassi, Joseph G.  Chart color  1,809.3  (13.8%)   
Harding, Richard, Jr.  Chart color  1,715.4  (13.1%)   
Tauber, Nancy  Chart color  1,795.0  (13.7%)   
None of these  Chart color  610.0  (4.7%)   
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 2007 School Committee Election

6 candidates will be elected with 13,709 ballots cast.


Round 10

Legend
Candidate Votes Status
McGovern, Marc C.  Chart color  2,001.8  (15.3%)   
Fantini, Alfred B.  Chart color  1,975.6  (15.1%)   
Schuster, Luc  Chart color  1,871.3  (14.3%)   
Nolan, Patricia M.  Chart color  1,871.3  (14.3%)   
Grassi, Joseph G.  Chart color  1,820.8  (13.9%)   
Harding, Richard, Jr.  Chart color  1,733.8  (13.2%)  Defeated
Tauber, Nancy  Chart color  1,824.3  (13.9%)   
None of these  Chart color  610.0  (4.7%)   
Pie chart

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

Go to the next round.
















 

DemoChoice Web Poll: Cambridge, MA 2007 School Committee Election

6 candidates will be elected with 13,709 ballots cast.


Round 11

Legend
Candidate Votes Status
McGovern, Marc C.  Chart color  2,149.4  (16.9%)   
Fantini, Alfred B.  Chart color  2,072.0  (16.3%)   
Schuster, Luc  Chart color  1,938.5  (15.3%)   
Nolan, Patricia M.  Chart color  1,984.0  (15.6%)   
Grassi, Joseph G.  Chart color  2,406.2  (18.9%)  Elected
Tauber, Nancy  Chart color  2,152.9  (16.9%)   
None of these  Chart color  1,006.0  (7.9%)   
Pie chart

Grassi, Joseph G. 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 2007 School Committee Election

6 candidates will be elected with 13,709 ballots cast.


Round 12

Legend
Candidate Votes Status
McGovern, Marc C.  Chart color  2,149.4  (16.9%)   
Fantini, Alfred B.  Chart color  2,240.3  (17.6%)  Elected
Schuster, Luc  Chart color  1,983.6  (15.6%)   
Nolan, Patricia M.  Chart color  2,059.7  (16.2%)   
Grassi, Joseph G.  Chart color  2,117.2  (16.7%)   
Tauber, Nancy  Chart color  2,152.9  (16.9%)   
None of these  Chart color  1,006.0  (7.9%)   
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 2007 School Committee Election

6 candidates will be elected with 13,709 ballots cast.


Round 13

Legend
Candidate Votes Status
McGovern, Marc C.  Chart color  2,149.4  (16.9%)   
Fantini, Alfred B.  Chart color  2,117.2  (16.7%)   
Schuster, Luc  Chart color  2,043.0  (16.1%)   
Nolan, Patricia M.  Chart color  2,123.4  (16.7%)   
Grassi, Joseph G.  Chart color  2,117.2  (16.7%)   
Tauber, Nancy  Chart color  2,152.9  (16.9%)  Elected
None of these  Chart color  1,006.0  (7.9%)   
Pie chart

Tauber, 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 2007 School Committee Election

6 candidates will be elected with 13,709 ballots cast.


Round 14

Legend
Candidate Votes Status
McGovern, Marc C.  Chart color  2,149.4  (16.9%)  Elected
Fantini, Alfred B.  Chart color  2,117.2  (16.7%)   
Schuster, Luc  Chart color  2,078.7  (16.4%)   
Nolan, Patricia M.  Chart color  2,123.4  (16.7%)   
Grassi, Joseph G.  Chart color  2,117.2  (16.7%)   
Tauber, Nancy  Chart color  2,117.2  (16.7%)   
None of these  Chart color  1,006.0  (7.9%)   
Pie chart

McGovern, Marc C. 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 2007 School Committee Election

6 candidates will be elected with 13,709 ballots cast.


Round 15

Legend
Candidate Votes Status
McGovern, Marc C.  Chart color  2,117.2  (16.7%)   
Fantini, Alfred B.  Chart color  2,117.2  (16.7%)   
Schuster, Luc  Chart color  2,111.0  (16.6%)   
Nolan, Patricia M.  Chart color  2,123.4  (16.7%)  Elected
Grassi, Joseph G.  Chart color  2,117.2  (16.7%)   
Tauber, Nancy  Chart color  2,117.2  (16.7%)   
None of these  Chart color  1,006.0  (7.9%)   
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 2007 School Committee Election

6 candidates will be elected with 13,709 ballots cast.


Round 16

Legend
Candidate Votes Status
McGovern, Marc C.  Chart color  2,117.2  (16.7%)  Elected
Fantini, Alfred B.  Chart color  2,117.2  (16.7%)  Elected
Schuster, Luc  Chart color  2,117.2  (16.7%)  Elected
Nolan, Patricia M.  Chart color  2,117.2  (16.7%)  Elected
Grassi, Joseph G.  Chart color  2,117.2  (16.7%)  Elected
Tauber, Nancy  Chart color  2,117.2  (16.7%)  Elected
None of these  Chart color  1,006.0  (7.9%)   
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, 92.7% of all cast ballots counted toward a winner. This compares to 79.1% 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.

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DemoChoice Web Poll: Cambridge, MA 2007 School Committee Election

6 candidates will be elected with 13,709 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    79.9% 
2nd    11.6% 
3rd    4.8% 
4th    1.9% 
5th    1.0% 
6th    0.4% 
7th    0.2% 
8th    0.1% 
Pie chart