Methods of the Third Class.

In the methods of the third class each elector makes out a list of all the candidates in his order of preference, or, what comes to the same thing, indicates his order of preference by writing the successive numbers 1, 2, 3, &c., opposite the names of the candidates on a list which is supplied to him. Thus one voting only is required on the part of the electors. These preferential or comparative lists are then used in a series of scrutinies; and the methods of the third class differ from one another only in the way in which these scrutinies are conducted. Three different methods, which may be called Ware's method, the Venetian method, and Condorcet's practical method, have been proposed for use, and these will now be described.