Rank. Count. Continue. Winner.
The exact rules vary by jurisdiction, but the basic idea is easy to understand.
Rank candidates
Mark your first choice, then your second choice, and so on. Rank only the candidates you support.
Count first choices
First-choice votes are counted. If a candidate reaches the jurisdiction’s winning threshold, that candidate wins.
Continue the count
If nobody has won, the lowest candidate is eliminated. Those ballots transfer to each voter’s next remaining ranked choice when one exists.
If no ranked choice remains, that ballot stops transferring and becomes exhausted.
Determine the winner
Rounds continue until a candidate reaches the winning threshold under the jurisdiction’s rules.