Legal Definitions - vote

A vote is when people express their opinion or preference in a meeting or election. This can be done by ballot, show of hands, or other forms of communication. A legal vote is one that is cast in the proper form and manner for an eligible choice by someone entitled to vote. An effective vote is one that counts toward a winning candidate, while a wasted vote does not count toward any winning candidate. There are different types of votes, such as a preferential vote that ranks choices in order of preference, a single transferable vote that migrates away from a candidate whom it will no longer help, and a winner-take-all vote where the majority elects all the representatives.