For the purposes of the first flag referendum, the Preferential Voting electoral system has the following features:
voters express a first preference for 1 option and may express second and further preferences for other options:
the first preferences are counted and, if an option’s first preference votes equal or exceed the absolute majority of votes, that option is the successful option:
if no option succeeds under paragraph (b), the option with the fewest votes is excluded and that option’s votes are redistributed according to voters’ further preferences:
if no option succeeds under paragraph (c), the steps described in paragraph (c) are repeated until 1 option achieves an absolute majority of votes.
Compare: 2001 No 35 s 5B(b)(i), (iii), (iv), (v)