Ranked-Choice Round Elimination Calculator
Check a ranked-choice voting round: find the leader's share, whether anyone has a majority, and which candidate is eliminated.
How it works
majority threshold = ⌊total ÷ 2⌋ + 1 · if no candidate reaches it, the lowest is eliminated
In ranked-choice (instant-runoff) voting, a candidate wins only with a majority of the votes still in play. This tool evaluates a single round: it sums the votes, finds the majority threshold, and checks whether the leader has crossed it. If nobody has a majority, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and — in a full count — their ballots transfer to each voter's next preference, and the process repeats.
Worked example
Four candidates with 340, 290, 210 and 160 votes (total 1,000): the threshold is 501. The leader has 340 (34%), short of a majority, so the last-place candidate with 160 votes is eliminated and their ballots redistribute.
Sources: Instant-runoff voting — Wikipedia
Frequently asked questions
Does this run every round automatically?
No — it evaluates one round at a time. Full instant-runoff counting needs each ballot's ranked preferences so eliminated candidates' votes can transfer. This tool shows the leader, the majority test and who is eliminated for the totals you enter.
How is the majority threshold defined?
It is more than half of the valid votes in the round: floor(total ÷ 2) + 1. For 1,000 votes that is 501. Exhausted ballots that rank no remaining candidate drop out of the total in later rounds.
What if two candidates tie for last?
Real rules break last-place ties with a tie-breaker such as prior-round totals or a coin toss. This simple calculator marks the first lowest total it finds as eliminated.
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This calculator is for educational purposes. Double-check important results before acting on them.