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class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2</span> <span>Replacement ballots</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Replacement_ballots-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Intentional_spoiling" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Intentional_spoiling"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3</span> <span>Intentional spoiling</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Intentional_spoiling-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Unintentional_spoiling" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Unintentional_spoiling"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4</span> <span>Unintentional spoiling</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Unintentional_spoiling-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-See_also" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#See_also"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5</span> <span>See also</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-See_also-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-References" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#References"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">6</span> <span>References</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-References-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="mw-content-container"> <main id="content" class="mw-body"> <header class="mw-body-header vector-page-titlebar"> <nav aria-label="Contents" class="vector-toc-landmark"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown vector-page-titlebar-toc vector-button-flush-left" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" 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</div> </div> <div id="bodyContent" class="vector-body" aria-labelledby="firstHeading" data-mw-ve-target-container> <div class="vector-body-before-content"> <div class="mw-indicators"> </div> <div id="siteSub" class="noprint">From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</div> </div> <div id="contentSub"><div id="mw-content-subtitle"></div></div> <div id="mw-content-text" class="mw-body-content"><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none">Ballot that is invalid and not counted</div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236090951">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">For the phenomenon of like-minded voters splitting their votes among multiple candidates, see <a href="/wiki/Spoiler_effect" title="Spoiler effect">Spoiler effect</a>.</div> <figure typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:%D0%98%D1%81%D0%BF%D0%BE%D1%80%D1%87%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%8F_%D0%B1%D1%8E%D0%BB%D0%BB%D0%B5%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%8C.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/04/%D0%98%D1%81%D0%BF%D0%BE%D1%80%D1%87%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%8F_%D0%B1%D1%8E%D0%BB%D0%BB%D0%B5%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%8C.jpg/200px-%D0%98%D1%81%D0%BF%D0%BE%D1%80%D1%87%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%8F_%D0%B1%D1%8E%D0%BB%D0%BB%D0%B5%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%8C.jpg" decoding="async" width="200" height="356" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/04/%D0%98%D1%81%D0%BF%D0%BE%D1%80%D1%87%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%8F_%D0%B1%D1%8E%D0%BB%D0%BB%D0%B5%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%8C.jpg/300px-%D0%98%D1%81%D0%BF%D0%BE%D1%80%D1%87%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%8F_%D0%B1%D1%8E%D0%BB%D0%BB%D0%B5%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%8C.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/04/%D0%98%D1%81%D0%BF%D0%BE%D1%80%D1%87%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%8F_%D0%B1%D1%8E%D0%BB%D0%BB%D0%B5%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%8C.jpg/400px-%D0%98%D1%81%D0%BF%D0%BE%D1%80%D1%87%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%8F_%D0%B1%D1%8E%D0%BB%D0%BB%D0%B5%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%8C.jpg 2x" data-file-width="900" data-file-height="1600" /></a><figcaption>Spoilt ballot paper from the <a href="/wiki/2016_Kazakh_legislative_election" title="2016 Kazakh legislative election">2016 Kazakh legislative election</a> reading "Бойкот Выборам" which means <i>Boycott the elections.</i></figcaption></figure> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Spoilt_ballot_in_Cheshire_Police_and_Crime_Commissioner_Elections.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d4/Spoilt_ballot_in_Cheshire_Police_and_Crime_Commissioner_Elections.jpg/220px-Spoilt_ballot_in_Cheshire_Police_and_Crime_Commissioner_Elections.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="172" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d4/Spoilt_ballot_in_Cheshire_Police_and_Crime_Commissioner_Elections.jpg/330px-Spoilt_ballot_in_Cheshire_Police_and_Crime_Commissioner_Elections.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d4/Spoilt_ballot_in_Cheshire_Police_and_Crime_Commissioner_Elections.jpg/440px-Spoilt_ballot_in_Cheshire_Police_and_Crime_Commissioner_Elections.jpg 2x" data-file-width="2036" data-file-height="1588" /></a><figcaption>Spoilt ballot paper from the 2021 UK Police and Crime Commissioner Elections</figcaption></figure> 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rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1246091330"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1246091330"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1246091330"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1246091330"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1246091330"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1246091330"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1246091330"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1246091330"><table class="sidebar sidebar-collapse nomobile nowraplinks"><tbody><tr><td class="sidebar-pretitle">Part of the <a href="/wiki/Category:Politics" title="Category:Politics">Politics series</a></td></tr><tr><th class="sidebar-title-with-pretitle" style="border-top:1px #fafafa solid; border-bottom:1px #fafafa solid; background:#efefef; background: var(--background-color-interactive, #efefef); color: var(--color-base, #000); padding:0.2em;"><a href="/wiki/Voting" title="Voting">Voting</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-image"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Vote_icon.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/46/Vote_icon.svg/75px-Vote_icon.svg.png" decoding="async" width="75" height="90" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/46/Vote_icon.svg/113px-Vote_icon.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/46/Vote_icon.svg/150px-Vote_icon.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="326" data-file-height="393" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content hlist" style="text-align:left;border-top:#ddd 1px solid;text-align:center;"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="background:#efefef; border-top:1px solid;background: var(--background-color-interactive, #efefef); color: var(--color-base, #000);;color: var(--color-base)">Balloting</div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"><table class="sidebar nomobile nowraplinks" style="background-color: transparent; color: var( --color-base ); border-collapse:collapse; border-spacing:0px; border:none; width:100%; margin:0px; font-size:100%; clear:none; float:none"><tbody><tr><th class="sidebar-heading"> <a href="/wiki/Ballot" title="Ballot">Ballots</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Absentee_ballot" title="Absentee ballot">Absentee ballot</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Provisional_ballot" title="Provisional ballot">Provisional ballot</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sample_ballot" title="Sample ballot">Sample ballot</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading"> <a href="/wiki/Candidate" title="Candidate">Candidates</a> and <a href="/wiki/Referendum" title="Referendum">Ballot measures</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Write-in_candidate" title="Write-in candidate">Write-in candidate</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Electoral_district" title="Electoral district">Electorate</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Slate_(elections)" title="Slate (elections)">Slate</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ticket_(election)" title="Ticket (election)">Ticket</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading"> Collection</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Ballot_box" title="Ballot box">Ballot box</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Compulsory_voting" title="Compulsory voting">Compulsory voting</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Early_voting" title="Early voting">Early voting</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Electronic_voting" title="Electronic voting">Electronic voting</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Open_ballot_system" title="Open ballot system">Open ballot</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Polling_place" class="mw-redirect" title="Polling place">Polling place</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Postal_voting" title="Postal voting">Postal voting</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Electoral_precinct" title="Electoral precinct">Precinct</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Vote_center" title="Vote center">Vote center</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Voting_booth" class="mw-redirect" title="Voting booth">Voting booth</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading"> <a href="/wiki/Vote_counting" title="Vote counting">Counting</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Popular_vote_(representative_democracy)" class="mw-redirect" title="Popular vote (representative democracy)">Popular vote</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tally_(voting)" title="Tally (voting)">Tally</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Voting_machine" title="Voting machine">Voting machine</a></li></ul></td> </tr></tbody></table></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content hlist" style="text-align:left;border-top:#ddd 1px solid;text-align:center;"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="background:#efefef; border-top:1px solid;background: var(--background-color-interactive, #efefef); color: var(--color-base, #000);;color: var(--color-base)"><a href="/wiki/Electoral_systems" class="mw-redirect" title="Electoral systems">Electoral systems</a></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"><table class="sidebar nomobile nowraplinks" style="background-color: transparent; color: var( --color-base ); border-collapse:collapse; border-spacing:0px; border:none; width:100%; margin:0px; font-size:100%; clear:none; float:none"><tbody><tr><th class="sidebar-heading"> <a href="/wiki/Plurality_voting" title="Plurality voting">Plurality and majoritarian systems</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/First-past-the-post_voting" title="First-past-the-post voting">First-past-the-post voting</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Two-round_system" title="Two-round system">Two-round system</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Instant-runoff_voting" title="Instant-runoff voting">Instant-runoff voting</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Plurality-at-large_voting" class="mw-redirect" title="Plurality-at-large voting">Plurality-at-large voting</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/General_ticket" title="General ticket">General ticket</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Usual_judgment" class="mw-redirect" title="Usual judgment">Usual judgment</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading"> <a href="/wiki/Proportional_representation" title="Proportional representation">Proportional and semi-proportional systems</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Single_non-transferable_vote" title="Single non-transferable vote">Single non-transferable vote</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cumulative_voting" title="Cumulative voting">Cumulative voting</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Binomial_voting_system" title="Binomial voting system">Binomial system</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Party-list_proportional_representation" title="Party-list proportional representation">Party-list</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Single_transferable_voting" class="mw-redirect" title="Single transferable voting">Single transferable voting</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Spare_vote" title="Spare vote">Spare vote</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading"> <a href="/wiki/Mixed_electoral_systems" class="mw-redirect" title="Mixed electoral systems">Mixed-member systems</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Mixed-member_proportional_representation" title="Mixed-member proportional representation">Mixed-member proportional</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Additional_member_system" class="mw-redirect" title="Additional member system">Additional member system</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mixed_single_vote" title="Mixed single vote">Mixed single vote (positive vote transfer)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scorporo" title="Scorporo">Scorporo (negative vote transfer)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mixed_ballot_transferable_vote" title="Mixed ballot transferable vote">Mixed ballot transferable vote</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Alternative_Vote_Plus" class="mw-redirect" title="Alternative Vote Plus">Alternative Vote Plus</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dual-member_proportional_representation" class="mw-redirect" title="Dual-member proportional representation">Dual-member proportional</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rural%E2%80%93urban_proportional_representation" title="Rural–urban proportional representation">Rural–urban proportional</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Majority_bonus_system" title="Majority bonus system">Majority bonus system</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Parallel_voting" title="Parallel voting">Parallel voting (Mixed member majoritarian)</a></li></ul></td> </tr></tbody></table></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content hlist" style="text-align:left;border-top:#ddd 1px solid;text-align:center;"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="background:#efefef; border-top:1px solid;background: var(--background-color-interactive, #efefef); color: var(--color-base, #000);;color: var(--color-base)">Voting strategies</div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"><table class="sidebar nomobile nowraplinks" style="background-color: transparent; color: var( --color-base ); border-collapse:collapse; border-spacing:0px; border:none; width:100%; margin:0px; font-size:100%; clear:none; float:none"><tbody><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Issue_voting" title="Issue voting">Issue voting</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Electoral_fusion" class="mw-redirect" title="Electoral fusion">Fusion voting</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Split-ticket_voting" title="Split-ticket voting">Split-ticket voting</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Straight-ticket_voting" title="Straight-ticket voting">Straight-ticket voting</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tactical_voting" class="mw-redirect" title="Tactical voting">Tactical voting</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Vote_pairing" title="Vote pairing">Vote pairing</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading"> <a href="/wiki/Protest_vote" title="Protest vote">Protest votes</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Abstention" title="Abstention">Abstention</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Donkey_vote" title="Donkey vote">Donkey vote</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Election_boycott" title="Election boycott">Election boycott</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/None_of_the_above" title="None of the above">None of the above</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Refused_ballot" title="Refused ballot">Refused ballot</a></li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Spoilt vote</a></li></ul></td> </tr></tbody></table></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content hlist" style="text-align:left;border-top:#ddd 1px solid;text-align:center;"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="background:#efefef; border-top:1px solid;background: var(--background-color-interactive, #efefef); color: var(--color-base, #000);;color: var(--color-base)">Voting patterns and effects</div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"><table class="sidebar nomobile nowraplinks" style="background-color: transparent; color: var( --color-base ); border-collapse:collapse; border-spacing:0px; border:none; width:100%; margin:0px; font-size:100%; clear:none; float:none"><tbody><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Coattail_effect" title="Coattail effect">Coattail effect</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Voting_advice_application" title="Voting advice application">Voting advice application</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Voter_segments_in_political_polling" title="Voter segments in political polling">Likely voter</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Paradox_of_voting" title="Paradox of voting">Paradox of voting</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Passive_electioneering" title="Passive electioneering">Passive electioneering</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Vote_splitting" class="mw-redirect" title="Vote splitting">Vote splitting</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Political_apathy" title="Political apathy">Political apathy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Voter_fatigue" title="Voter fatigue">Voter fatigue</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Voter_turnout" title="Voter turnout">Voter turnout</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading"> <a href="/wiki/Protest_vote" title="Protest vote">Protest votes</a></th></tr></tbody></table></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content hlist" style="text-align:left;border-top:#ddd 1px solid;text-align:center;"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="background:#efefef; border-top:1px solid;background: var(--background-color-interactive, #efefef); color: var(--color-base, #000);;color: var(--color-base)"><a href="/wiki/Electoral_fraud" title="Electoral fraud">Electoral fraud</a> and prevention</div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"><table class="sidebar nomobile nowraplinks" style="background-color: transparent; color: var( --color-base ); border-collapse:collapse; border-spacing:0px; border:none; width:100%; margin:0px; font-size:100%; clear:none; float:none"><tbody><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Ballot_harvesting" class="mw-redirect" title="Ballot harvesting">Ballot harvesting</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ballot_stuffing" class="mw-redirect" title="Ballot stuffing">Ballot stuffing</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Voter_intimidation" class="mw-redirect" title="Voter intimidation">Voter intimidation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Vote_buying" title="Vote buying">Vote buying</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Voter_suppression" title="Voter suppression">Voter suppression</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Voter_caging" title="Voter caging">Voter caging</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading"> Prevention</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Election_ink" title="Election ink">Election ink</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Secret_ballot" title="Secret ballot">Secret ballot</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Voter_registration" title="Voter registration">Voter registration</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/End-to-end_verifiable_voting" class="mw-redirect" title="End-to-end verifiable voting">End-to-end verifiable voting</a></li></ul></td> </tr></tbody></table></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-below" style="background:#efefef;background: var(--background-color-interactive, #efefef); color: var(--color-base, #000);"> <span class="nowrap"><span class="mw-image-border noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:A_coloured_voting_box.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="icon" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/01/A_coloured_voting_box.svg/16px-A_coloured_voting_box.svg.png" decoding="async" width="16" height="16" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/01/A_coloured_voting_box.svg/24px-A_coloured_voting_box.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/01/A_coloured_voting_box.svg/32px-A_coloured_voting_box.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="160" data-file-height="160" /></a></span> </span><a href="/wiki/Portal:Politics" title="Portal:Politics">Politics portal</a></td></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-navbar"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239400231">.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:inline;font-size:88%;font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .navbar-collapse{float:left;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .navbar-boxtext{word-spacing:0}.mw-parser-output .navbar ul{display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;line-height:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::before{margin-right:-0.125em;content:"[ "}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::after{margin-left:-0.125em;content:" ]"}.mw-parser-output .navbar li{word-spacing:-0.125em}.mw-parser-output .navbar a>span,.mw-parser-output .navbar a>abbr{text-decoration:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-mini abbr{font-variant:small-caps;border-bottom:none;text-decoration:none;cursor:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-full{font-size:114%;margin:0 7em}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-mini{font-size:114%;margin:0 4em}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}@media(prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}}@media print{.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:none!important}}</style><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Voting" class="mw-redirect" title="Template:Voting"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Voting" class="mw-redirect" title="Template talk:Voting"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Voting" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Voting"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>In <a href="/wiki/Voting" title="Voting">voting</a>, a <a href="/wiki/Ballot" title="Ballot">ballot</a> is considered <b>spoilt</b>, <b>spoiled</b>, <b>void</b>, <b>null</b>, <b>informal</b>, <b>invalid</b> or <b>stray</b> if a law declares or an <a href="/wiki/Election" title="Election">election</a> authority determines that it is invalid and thus not included in the <a href="/wiki/Vote_counting_system" class="mw-redirect" title="Vote counting system">vote count</a>. This may occur accidentally or deliberately. The total number of spoilt votes in a United States election has been called the <b>residual vote</b>.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In Australia, such votes are generally referred to as informal votes, and in Canada they are referred to as rejected votes. </p><p>In some jurisdictions spoilt votes are counted and reported. </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Types_of_spoilt_vote">Types of spoilt vote</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Spoilt_vote&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Types of spoilt vote"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>A ballot may be spoilt in a number of ways, including: </p> <ul><li>Failing to mark the ballot at all (<a href="/wiki/Blank_vote" class="mw-redirect" title="Blank vote">blank vote</a>), or otherwise defacing the ballot instead of attempting to vote.</li> <li>Filling out the ballot in a manner that is incompatible with the voting system being used, e.g.: <ul><li>Marking more choices than permitted (<a href="/wiki/Overvote" title="Overvote">overvoting</a>), or fewer than necessary (<a href="/wiki/Undervote" title="Undervote">undervoting</a>).</li> <li>Filling a <a href="/wiki/Ranked_voting_systems" class="mw-redirect" title="Ranked voting systems">preference ballot</a> out of sequence, e.g. 1-2-2-3-4 or 1-2-4-5-6, 1-4-2-4-5. In most cases, only the first two choices in these examples would be counted as valid.</li> <li>Adding a <a href="/wiki/Write-in_candidate" title="Write-in candidate">write-in candidate</a> when such an option is not permitted. The vote for this candidate would be discarded.</li></ul></li> <li>Filling the ballot in a manner that makes the voter's decision unclear.</li> <li>Physically deforming ballots, especially those counted by machine.</li> <li>Making marks on the ballot other than those necessary to complete it, from which the voter's identity can be ascertained, compromising the <a href="/wiki/Secrecy_of_the_ballot" class="mw-redirect" title="Secrecy of the ballot">secrecy of the ballot</a>.</li></ul> <p>As an example, UK law specifically precludes ballots "on which votes are given for more candidates than the voter is entitled to vote for", "on which anything is written or marked by which the voter can be identified" or "which [are] unmarked or void for uncertainty".<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Replacement_ballots">Replacement ballots</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Spoilt_vote&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Replacement ballots"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>If a voter makes a mistake while completing a ballot, it may be possible to cancel it and start the voting process again. <a href="/wiki/Elections_in_the_United_States" title="Elections in the United States">In the United States</a>, cancelled physical ballots may be called "spoiled ballots",<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> as distinct from an "invalid vote" which has been cast. </p><p><a href="/wiki/Elections_in_Canada" title="Elections in Canada">In Canada</a>, a <i>spoiled ballot</i> is one that has been handled by an elector in such a manner that it is ruined beyond use, or that the deputy returning officer finds soiled or improperly printed. The spoilt ballot is not placed in the ballot box, but rather is marked as spoilt by the deputy returning officer and set aside. The elector is given another ballot. A 'rejected ballot' is one which cannot be counted due to improper marking by the voter. Examples of this are ballots which have more than one mark, the intent of the voter cannot be ascertained, or the voter can be identified by their mark.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In many jurisdictions, if multiple elections or referendums are held simultaneously, then there may be separate physical ballots for each, which may be printed on different-colored paper and posted into separate ballot boxes. In the United States, a single physical ballot is often used to record multiple separate votes. In such cases one can distinguish an "invalid ballot", where all votes on the ballot are rendered invalid,<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> from a "partially valid" ballot, with some votes are valid and others invalid. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Intentional_spoiling">Intentional spoiling</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Spoilt_vote&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Intentional spoiling"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">See also: <a href="/wiki/Protest_vote" title="Protest vote">Protest vote</a>, <a href="/wiki/None_of_the_above" title="None of the above">None of the above</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Write-in_candidate" title="Write-in candidate">Write-in candidate</a></div> <p>A voter may deliberately spoil a vote, for example as a <a href="/wiki/Protest_vote" title="Protest vote">protest vote</a>, especially in <a href="/wiki/Compulsory_voting" title="Compulsory voting">compulsory voting</a> jurisdictions, to show disapproval of the candidates standing whilst still taking part in the electoral process. Intentionally spoiling someone else's ballot before or during tabulation is an <a href="/wiki/Electoral_fraud" title="Electoral fraud">electoral fraud</a>. </p><p>The validity of an election may be questioned if there is an unusually high proportion of spoilt votes.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (December 2014)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> In multiple-vote U.S. ballots, "voter roll-off" is calculated by subtracting the number of votes cast for a "down-ballot" office, such as mayor, from the number of votes cast for a "top-of-the-ballot" office, such as president. When the election jurisdiction does not report voter turnout, roll-off can be used as a proxy for residual votes. Some voters may only be interested in voting for the major offices, and not bother filling in the lower positions, resulting in a partially valid ballot. </p><p>While it is not illegal to advocate informal voting in <a href="/wiki/Australian_federal_election" class="mw-redirect" title="Australian federal election">Australian federal elections</a>, it was briefly illegal to advise voters to fill out their ballots using duplicated numbers.<sup id="cite_ref-aec1996_6-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-aec1996-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Albert_Langer" title="Albert Langer">Albert Langer</a> was jailed for violating an <a href="/wiki/Injunction" title="Injunction">injunction</a> not to advocate incomplete preference voting for the <a href="/wiki/1996_Australian_federal_election" title="1996 Australian federal election">1996 Australian federal election</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-aec1996_6-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-aec1996-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>During the <a href="/wiki/2021_Hong_Kong_legislative_election" title="2021 Hong Kong legislative election">2021 Hong Kong legislative elections</a>, pro-democratic supporters urged voters to cast spoilt ballots or not vote in the election in protest of the <a href="/wiki/2021_Hong_Kong_electoral_changes" title="2021 Hong Kong electoral changes">rewriting of election rules</a> by the National People's Congress in Beijing.<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Despite the Government criminalising inciting voters to cast invalid ballots or not vote, as well as attempts to boost voter turnout, the election recorded a record number of invalid ballots as well as historically low voter turnout. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Unintentional_spoiling">Unintentional spoiling</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Spoilt_vote&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Unintentional spoiling"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Voter instructions are usually intended to minimize the accidental spoiling of votes. <a href="/wiki/Ballot_design" class="mw-redirect" title="Ballot design">Ballot design</a> can aid or inhibit clarity in an election, resulting in less or more accidental spoiling. Some election officials have discretion to allow ballots where the criteria for acceptability are not strictly met but the voter's intention is clear. More complicated <a href="/wiki/Electoral_system" title="Electoral system">electoral systems</a> may be more prone to errors. <a href="/wiki/Group_voting_ticket" title="Group voting ticket">Group voting tickets</a> were introduced in Australia owing to the high number of informal votes cast in <a href="/wiki/Single_transferable_vote" title="Single transferable vote">single transferable vote</a> (STV) elections, but have since been abolished in all <a href="/wiki/States_and_territories_of_Australia" title="States and territories of Australia">states and territories</a> aside from <a href="/wiki/Victoria_(Australia)" class="mw-redirect" title="Victoria (Australia)">Victoria</a>. When multiple <a href="/wiki/Elections_in_the_Republic_of_Ireland" title="Elections in the Republic of Ireland">Irish STV elections</a> are simultaneous (as for <a href="/wiki/Local_Elections_in_Ireland" class="mw-redirect" title="Local Elections in Ireland">local</a> and <a href="/wiki/Category:European_Parliament_elections_in_the_Republic_of_Ireland" title="Category:European Parliament elections in the Republic of Ireland">European</a> elections) some voters have marked, say, 1-2-3 on one ballot paper and 4-5-6 on the other; some returning officers consequently allowed 4-5-6 ballots to be counted, until a <a href="/wiki/Supreme_Court_(Ireland)" class="mw-redirect" title="Supreme Court (Ireland)">Supreme Court</a> case in 2015 ruled they were invalid.<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The United States <a href="/wiki/Election_Assistance_Commission" title="Election Assistance Commission">Election Assistance Commission</a>'s survey of the <a href="/wiki/2006_United_States_elections" title="2006 United States elections">2006 midterm elections</a> reported undervoting rate of 0.1% in US Senate elections and 1.6% in US House elections; overvotes were much rarer.<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Some paper-based voting systems and most <a href="/wiki/DRE_voting_machine" title="DRE voting machine">DRE voting machines</a> can notify voters of under-votes and over-votes. The <a href="/wiki/Help_America_Vote_Act" title="Help America Vote Act">Help America Vote Act</a> requires that voters are informed when they have overvoted, unless a paper-ballot voting system is in use.<sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In the Philippines, votes cast for aspirants later declared as <a href="/wiki/Nuisance_candidate" title="Nuisance candidate">nuisance candidates</a> whose name manage to get printed in ballots were considered stray votes prior to the <a href="/wiki/2013_Philippine_general_election" title="2013 Philippine general election">2013 elections</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-stray-nuisance_11-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-stray-nuisance-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> A particular type of nuisance candidates runs "to cause confusion among the voters by the similarity of the names" with a <i>bona fide</i> candidate for the same office.<sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Since the 2013 elections, votes for these class of nuisance candidates are transferred to their <a href="/wiki/Namesake" title="Namesake">namesake</a> <i>bona fide</i> candidate as valid votes.<sup id="cite_ref-stray-nuisance_11-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-stray-nuisance-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Spoilt_vote&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Election_fraud" class="mw-redirect" title="Election fraud">Election fraud</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Issues_affecting_the_Single_Transferable_Vote#Ballot_design" class="mw-redirect" title="Issues affecting the Single Transferable Vote">Ballot design in the Single Transferable Vote</a>: discusses <i>exhausted votes</i>, which cannot be transferred owing to too few preferences being expressed</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Refused_ballot" title="Refused ballot">Refused ballot</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Spoilt_vote&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap mw-references-columns"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project, <i>Residual Votes Attributable to Technology: An Assessment of the Reliability of Existing Voting Equipment</i>, version 2, 3 Mar. 2001, <a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://www.hss.caltech.edu/~voting/Caltech_MIT_Report_Version2.pdf">http://www.hss.caltech.edu/~voting/Caltech_MIT_Report_Version2.pdf</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2006/3304/pdfs/uksi_20063304_en.pdf">"REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE, ENGLAND AND WALES The Local Elections (Principal Areas) (England and Wales) Rules 2006"</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=REPRESENTATION+OF+THE+PEOPLE%2C+ENGLAND+AND+WALES+The+Local+Elections+%28Principal+Areas%29+%28England+and+Wales%29+Rules+2006&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.legislation.gov.uk%2Fuksi%2F2006%2F3304%2Fpdfs%2Fuksi_20063304_en.pdf&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASpoilt+vote" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">See, for example, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.lrc.ky.gov/KRS/117-00/385.PDF">Kentucky Revised Statutes 117.385</a>, effective July 15, 1982</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFCanada" class="citation web cs1">Canada, Elections. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.elections.ca/home.aspx">"Elections Canada - Home Page"</a>. <i>Elections Canada</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2020-07-21</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=Elections+Canada&rft.atitle=Elections+Canada+-+Home+Page&rft.aulast=Canada&rft.aufirst=Elections&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.elections.ca%2Fhome.aspx&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASpoilt+vote" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-5">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">See, for example, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.michigan.gov/documents/OptScan_Validity_165397_7.pdf">Determining the Validity of Optical Scan Ballot Markings</a>, Michigan Bureau of Elections, May 27, 2004.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-aec1996-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-aec1996_6-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-aec1996_6-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFAustralian_Electoral_Commission1996" class="citation web cs1">Australian Electoral Commission (30 August 1996). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.aec.gov.au/Elections/australian_electoral_system/files/jscem/1996_election/sub77.pdf.">"ADVOCACY OF OPTIONAL PREFERENTIAL VOTING"</a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">18 December</span> 2015</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=ADVOCACY+OF+OPTIONAL+PREFERENTIAL+VOTING&rft.date=1996-08-30&rft.au=Australian+Electoral+Commission&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aec.gov.au%2FElections%2Faustralian_electoral_system%2Ffiles%2Fjscem%2F1996_election%2Fsub77.pdf.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASpoilt+vote" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-7">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation news cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.npr.org/2021/12/18/1065477225/activists-in-hong-kong-plan-not-to-vote-or-to-cast-blank-ballots-in-upcoming-ele">"Activists in Hong Kong plan not to vote or to cast blank ballots in upcoming election"</a>. <i>NPR.org</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2022-07-07</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=NPR.org&rft.atitle=Activists+in+Hong+Kong+plan+not+to+vote+or+to+cast+blank+ballots+in+upcoming+election&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.npr.org%2F2021%2F12%2F18%2F1065477225%2Factivists-in-hong-kong-plan-not-to-vote-or-to-cast-blank-ballots-in-upcoming-ele&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASpoilt+vote" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-8">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation news cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.rte.ie/news/2015/1217/754697-votes/">"Supreme Court orders recount of votes in Listowel"</a>. <i><a href="/wiki/RT%C3%89_News" title="RTÉ News">RTÉ News</a></i>. <a href="/wiki/RT%C3%89.ie" title="RTÉ.ie">RTÉ.ie</a>. 17 December 2015<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">17 December</span> 2015</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=RT%C3%89+News&rft.atitle=Supreme+Court+orders+recount+of+votes+in+Listowel&rft.date=2015-12-17&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rte.ie%2Fnews%2F2015%2F1217%2F754697-votes%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASpoilt+vote" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-9">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation book cs1">"Appendix B". <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.eac.gov/assets/1/AssetManager/2006%20EAVS%20Appendix%20B.pdf#page=25"><i>2006 Election Administration and Voting Survey</i></a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>. pp. 52–55.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.atitle=Appendix+B&rft.btitle=2006+Election+Administration+and+Voting+Survey&rft.pages=52-55&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eac.gov%2Fassets%2F1%2FAssetManager%2F2006%2520EAVS%2520Appendix%2520B.pdf%23page%3D25&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASpoilt+vote" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-10">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-107publ252/html/PLAW-107publ252.htm">Help America Vote Act</a> Section 301(a)1(A)(iii)</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-stray-nuisance-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-stray-nuisance_11-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-stray-nuisance_11-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation news cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://radyonatin.com/post.php/3379.beb9fb0f5d0c26c5">"Comelec sets rules on 'stray' votes for nuisance candidates"</a>. <i>RadyoNatin</i>. 2 January 2013<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">20 October</span> 2024</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=RadyoNatin&rft.atitle=Comelec+sets+rules+on+%27stray%27+votes+for+nuisance+candidates&rft.date=2013-01-02&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fradyonatin.com%2Fpost.php%2F3379.beb9fb0f5d0c26c5&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASpoilt+vote" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-12">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFSampang2024" class="citation news cs1">Sampang, Dianne (17 October 2024). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.inquirer.net/417914/comelec-explains-grounds-for-declaring-nuisance-candidates-in-elections/">"Comelec explains grounds for declaring nuisance candidates in elections"</a>. <i>Philippine Daily Inquirer</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">20 October</span> 2024</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Philippine+Daily+Inquirer&rft.atitle=Comelec+explains+grounds+for+declaring+nuisance+candidates+in+elections&rft.date=2024-10-17&rft.aulast=Sampang&rft.aufirst=Dianne&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.inquirer.net%2F417914%2Fcomelec-explains-grounds-for-declaring-nuisance-candidates-in-elections%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASpoilt+vote" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236075235">.mw-parser-output .navbox{box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #a2a9b1;width:100%;clear:both;font-size:88%;text-align:center;padding:1px;margin:1em auto 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbox{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox,.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox-styles+.navbox{margin-top:-1px}.mw-parser-output .navbox-inner,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup{width:100%}.mw-parser-output .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-title,.mw-parser-output .navbox-abovebelow{padding:0.25em 1em;line-height:1.5em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .navbox-group{white-space:nowrap;text-align:right}.mw-parser-output .navbox,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup{background-color:#fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-list{line-height:1.5em;border-color:#fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-list-with-group{text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid}.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-group,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-image,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-list{border-top:2px solid #fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-title{background-color:#ccf}.mw-parser-output .navbox-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-title{background-color:#ddf}.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-abovebelow{background-color:#e6e6ff}.mw-parser-output .navbox-even{background-color:#f7f7f7}.mw-parser-output .navbox-odd{background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td dl,.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td ol,.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td ul,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist ul{padding:0.125em 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbar{display:block;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .navbox-title .navbar{float:left;text-align:left;margin-right:0.5em}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .navbox-image img{max-width:none!important}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .navbox{display:none!important}}</style></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="Electoral_systems" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible mw-collapsed navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231"><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Electoral_systems_footer" title="Template:Electoral systems footer"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Electoral_systems_footer" title="Template talk:Electoral systems footer"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Electoral_systems_footer" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Electoral systems footer"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Electoral_systems" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/Electoral_system" title="Electoral system">Electoral systems</a></div></th></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="2"><div><i>Part of the <a href="/wiki/Portal:Politics" title="Portal:Politics">politics</a> and <a href="/wiki/Portal:Economics" title="Portal:Economics">Economics</a> series</i></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Single-winner_voting_system" class="mw-redirect" title="Single-winner voting system">Single-winner</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Approval_voting" title="Approval voting">Approval voting</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Combined_approval_voting" title="Combined approval voting">Combined approval voting</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Unified_primary" title="Unified primary">Unified primary</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Borda_count" title="Borda count">Borda count</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bucklin_voting" title="Bucklin voting">Bucklin voting</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Condorcet_methods" class="mw-redirect" title="Condorcet methods">Condorcet methods</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Copeland%27s_method" title="Copeland's method">Copeland's method</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dodgson%27s_method" title="Dodgson's method">Dodgson's method</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kemeny%E2%80%93Young_method" title="Kemeny–Young method">Kemeny–Young method</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Minimax_Condorcet_method" title="Minimax Condorcet method">Minimax Condorcet method</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nanson%27s_method" title="Nanson's method">Nanson's method</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ranked_pairs" title="Ranked pairs">Ranked pairs</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Schulze_method" title="Schulze method">Schulze method</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Exhaustive_ballot" title="Exhaustive ballot">Exhaustive ballot</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/First-past-the-post_voting" title="First-past-the-post voting">First-past-the-post voting</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Instant-runoff_voting" title="Instant-runoff voting">Instant-runoff voting</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Coombs%27_method" title="Coombs' method">Coombs' method</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Contingent_vote" title="Contingent vote">Contingent vote</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Supplementary_vote" class="mw-redirect" title="Supplementary vote">Supplementary vote</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Majority_rule" title="Majority rule">Simple majoritarianism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Plurality_voting_system" class="mw-redirect" title="Plurality voting system">Plurality</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Positional_voting_system" class="mw-redirect" title="Positional voting system">Positional voting system</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Score_voting" title="Score voting">Score voting</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/STAR_voting" title="STAR voting">STAR voting</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Two-round_system" title="Two-round system">Two-round system</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Graduated_majority_judgment" title="Graduated majority judgment">Graduated majority judgment</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Proportional_representation" title="Proportional representation">Proportional</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Systems</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Mixed-member_proportional_representation" title="Mixed-member proportional representation">Mixed-member</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mixed_single_vote#Proportional_systems" title="Mixed single vote">Mixed single vote</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Party-list_proportional_representation" title="Party-list proportional representation">Party-list</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Proportional_approval_voting" title="Proportional approval voting">Proportional approval voting</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rural%E2%80%93urban_proportional_representation" title="Rural–urban proportional representation">Rural–urban</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sequential_proportional_approval_voting" title="Sequential proportional approval voting">Sequential proportional approval voting</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Single_transferable_vote" title="Single transferable vote">Single transferable vote</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/CPO-STV" title="CPO-STV">CPO-STV</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hare%E2%80%93Clark_electoral_system" title="Hare–Clark electoral system">Hare-Clark</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Schulze_STV" title="Schulze STV">Schulze STV</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Spare_vote" title="Spare vote">Spare vote</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Indirect_single_transferable_voting" title="Indirect single transferable voting">Indirect single transferable voting</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Allocation</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Highest_averages_method" title="Highest averages method">Highest averages method</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Sainte-Lagu%C3%AB_method" title="Sainte-Laguë method">Webster/Sainte-Laguë</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/D%27Hondt_method" title="D'Hondt method">D'Hondt</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Largest_remainders_method" class="mw-redirect" title="Largest remainders method">Largest remainders method</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Quotas</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Droop_quota" title="Droop quota">Droop quota</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hagenbach-Bischoff_quota" class="mw-redirect" title="Hagenbach-Bischoff quota">Hagenbach-Bischoff quota</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hare_quota" title="Hare quota">Hare quota</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Imperiali_quota" title="Imperiali quota">Imperiali quota</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Mixed_electoral_system" title="Mixed electoral system">Mixed</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Parallel_voting" title="Parallel voting">Parallel voting</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mixed-member_proportional_representation" title="Mixed-member proportional representation">MMP</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Additional_member_system" class="mw-redirect" title="Additional member system">Additional member system</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Alternative_vote_plus" title="Alternative vote plus">Alternative vote plus</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mixed_single_vote" title="Mixed single vote">Mixed single vote</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mixed_ballot_transferable_vote" title="Mixed ballot transferable vote">Mixed ballot transferable vote</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scorporo" title="Scorporo">Scorporo</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Vote_linkage_mixed_system" class="mw-redirect" title="Vote linkage mixed system">Vote linkage mixed system</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Semi-proportional_representation" title="Semi-proportional representation">Semi-proportional</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Single_non-transferable_vote" title="Single non-transferable vote">Single non-transferable vote</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Limited_voting" title="Limited voting">Limited voting</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cumulative_voting" title="Cumulative voting">Cumulative voting</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Satisfaction_approval_voting" title="Satisfaction approval voting">Satisfaction approval voting</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Criteria</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Condorcet_winner_criterion" title="Condorcet winner criterion">Condorcet winner criterion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Condorcet_loser_criterion" title="Condorcet loser criterion">Condorcet loser criterion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Consistency_criterion" class="mw-redirect" title="Consistency criterion">Consistency criterion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Independence_of_clones_criterion" title="Independence of clones criterion">Independence of clones</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Independence_of_irrelevant_alternatives" title="Independence of irrelevant alternatives">Independence of irrelevant alternatives</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Independence_of_Smith-dominated_alternatives" title="Independence of Smith-dominated alternatives">Independence of Smith-dominated alternatives</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Later-no-harm_criterion" title="Later-no-harm criterion">Later-no-harm criterion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Majority_favorite_criterion" class="mw-redirect" title="Majority favorite criterion">Majority criterion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Majority_loser_criterion" title="Majority loser criterion">Majority loser criterion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Monotonicity_criterion" class="mw-redirect" title="Monotonicity criterion">Monotonicity criterion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mutual_majority_criterion" title="Mutual majority criterion">Mutual majority criterion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Participation_criterion" class="mw-redirect" title="Participation criterion">Participation criterion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Plurality_criterion" title="Plurality criterion">Plurality criterion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Resolvability_criterion" title="Resolvability criterion">Resolvability criterion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Reversal_symmetry" class="mw-redirect" title="Reversal symmetry">Reversal symmetry</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Smith_criterion" class="mw-redirect" title="Smith criterion">Smith criterion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Seats-to-votes_ratio" title="Seats-to-votes ratio">Seats-to-votes ratio</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Other</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Ballot" title="Ballot">Ballot</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Election_threshold" class="mw-redirect" title="Election threshold">Election threshold</a></li> 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