Ballots on elections
In an election, a ballot is held if there are more eligible candidates nominated than there are vacancies to fill. Each voter is asked to put candidates in order of preference. The single transferable vote (STV) system is used to count votes in such ballots of the Regent House (see the Single Transferable Vote regulations for details). Each candidate must receive a minimum number of votes (the quota), based on the number of votes cast and the number of candidates to be elected. If the voter's preferred candidate is elected or already has sufficient votes to meet the quota, their vote is transferred in accordance with their instructions. This process continues until candidates have been elected to fill all available vacancies
Ballots on other matters
The process for the approval of major decisions by the Regent House other than elections usually involves the following steps:
A ballot may be held if, before that deadline:
Fly-sheets
To enable members of the Regent House to make known their views on questions which are to be the subject of a ballot, members may submit a written statement (a fly-sheet) to the Registrary. Such statements should be signed by at least ten members of the Regent House and be submitted by 1 p.m. on the specified day. All fly-sheets are circulated with the voting papers, and also published in the Reporter after the proposals to which they relate have been voted on. More detailed information regarding the submission of fly-sheets is provided in Statutes and Ordinances.