What Is Instant Runoff Voting (IRV)? Complete Guide

What Is Instant Runoff Voting?

Instant Runoff Voting (IRV) is an electoral method in which voters rank candidates in order of preference rather than selecting just one. Also known as ranked-choice voting (RCV) or preferential voting, IRV is designed to produce majority winners in a single round of voting -- eliminating the need for costly and time-consuming separate runoff elections.

The core idea behind IRV is simple: if your top-choice candidate is eliminated, your vote automatically transfers to your next-preferred candidate. This process repeats until one candidate has secured a majority of votes (more than 50%). The result is an election outcome that better reflects the will of the electorate, because the winning candidate must earn broad support -- not just a plurality.

IRV has been adopted by cities across the United States, national governments like Australia and Ireland, and thousands of organizations worldwide -- from student governments and nonprofit boards to professional associations and unions. Its growing popularity reflects a desire for fairer, more representative election outcomes.

Key Terminology

Instant Runoff Voting (IRV), Ranked-Choice Voting (RCV), and Preferential Voting all refer to the same method. In the United States, "ranked-choice voting" is the most common term. In Australia and the UK, "preferential voting" or "alternative vote" is standard. Throughout this guide, we use these terms interchangeably.

How IRV Counting Works -- Round by Round

To illustrate how IRV works, let's walk through a concrete example. Imagine a club is electing a new president, with five candidates and 100 voters. Each voter ranks the candidates from first choice to last.

Round 1 -- First-Choice Votes

Every ballot is counted based on the voter's first-choice selection. Here are the initial tallies:

Maria: 32 votes (32%)
James: 25 votes (25%)
Priya: 20 votes (20%)
David: 15 votes (15%)
Suki: 8 votes (8%)

No candidate has more than 50 votes (the majority threshold), so the candidate with the fewest first-choice votes is eliminated.

Round 2 -- Suki Eliminated

Suki is eliminated with 8 votes. Her supporters' ballots are redistributed to their second-choice candidates:

3 of Suki's voters ranked Priya second, 3 ranked James second, 2 ranked David second

Updated tallies:

Maria: 32 votes (32%)
James: 28 votes (28%)
Priya: 23 votes (23%)
David: 17 votes (17%)

Still no majority. David is now in last place and is eliminated next.

Round 3 -- David Eliminated

David is eliminated with 17 votes. His supporters' ballots transfer to their next-highest remaining choice:

9 of David's voters prefer Priya next, 5 prefer James next, 3 prefer Maria next

Updated tallies:

Maria: 35 votes (35%)
James: 33 votes (33%)
Priya: 32 votes (32%)

Still no majority. Priya is now in last place.

Round 4 -- Priya Eliminated

Priya is eliminated with 32 votes. Her supporters' ballots transfer to their next remaining choice:

19 of Priya's voters prefer James next, 13 prefer Maria next

Final tallies:

James: 52 votes (52%)
Maria: 48 votes (48%)

Outcome: James wins with 52% of the vote in the final round, even though Maria led in first-choice votes. This demonstrates how IRV captures broader support -- James was the preferred candidate among a majority of voters when considering their full range of preferences, not just their top pick.

Why Does This Matter?

Under a traditional single-choice system, Maria would have won with only 32% support -- meaning 68% of voters preferred someone else. IRV ensures the winner has majority support, producing outcomes that are more broadly accepted by the electorate.

IRV Compared to Other Voting Methods

Understanding how IRV stacks up against other common voting methods helps you choose the right approach for your organization. Here's a side-by-side comparison of the five voting methods available on TapVoter:

Feature	Direct	IRV	STAR	Approval	Multi-Winner
Majority winner guaranteed
Voter expression	Single pick	Full ranking	Star ratings	Approve/reject	Multiple picks
Simplicity	Very easy	Moderate	Moderate	Easy	Easy
Eliminates runoffs
Handles vote splitting
Best for single-winner	2 candidates	3+ candidates	3+ candidates	Many candidates	Not designed for it
Best for multi-winner

Which Method Is Right for You?

IRV excels when you need a single winner from three or more candidates and want to guarantee majority support. If you need to elect multiple winners at once, consider the Multi-Winner method. If you want voters to rate candidates on a scale, STAR voting may be a good fit. TapVoter supports all five methods, so you can choose the best approach for each position in your election.

Pros and Cons of Instant Runoff Voting

Like any voting method, IRV has trade-offs. Understanding both its strengths and limitations will help you decide whether it's the right choice for your election.

Pros

Ensures majority winners
The winning candidate always has support from more than 50% of voters in the final round, giving them a stronger mandate
Eliminates separate runoff elections
Saves time and money by combining the initial vote and runoff into a single ballot -- no need to hold a second election
Reduces the spoiler effect
Similar candidates can run without splitting their base of support, because votes transfer to backup choices
Encourages civil campaigns
Candidates seek second and third-choice rankings from opponents' supporters, incentivizing positive, issue-focused campaigns
Voters express full preferences
Ranking allows voters to honestly support their favorite candidate without fear of wasting their vote

Cons

More complex to explain
The multi-round counting process can be harder for voters and administrators to understand compared to simple plurality
Counting takes longer manually
Without digital tools, hand-counting IRV ballots with multiple rounds of elimination is tedious and error-prone
Strategic voting still possible
While reduced, strategic behavior like "burying" a strong competitor by ranking them last can still occur in some scenarios
Requires voter education
Organizations switching from traditional voting need to invest time in explaining how to fill out ranked ballots properly
Not ideal for multi-winner races
Standard IRV is designed for single-winner elections -- multi-seat races require a different method like STV or Multi-Winner voting

Important Consideration

The complexity of hand-counting IRV ballots is largely a non-issue with digital voting platforms. TapVoter automatically handles all IRV calculations instantly -- showing you round-by-round results with full transparency into how votes transferred at each stage.

When to Use Instant Runoff Voting

IRV is a versatile method that fits many different election scenarios. Here are some of the most common use cases where ranked-choice voting excels:

Board of Directors Elections

When electing officers one seat at a time from competitive fields, IRV ensures each winner has majority support. Ideal for president, treasurer, secretary, and other executive positions where legitimacy matters.

Student Government

University and school student governments frequently have many candidates for popular positions. IRV prevents vote splitting among similar candidates and teaches students about democratic processes.

Club and Organization Leadership

Professional associations, hobby clubs, and community organizations benefit from IRV when choosing leaders from a competitive slate. It reduces negative campaigning and builds consensus.

Union Elections

Labor unions often have strong factions that can split votes in traditional elections. IRV ensures the elected leader has genuine majority support, strengthening their mandate to represent all members.

Homeowner Association Elections

HOA elections with multiple candidates per board seat benefit from IRV because it avoids costly runoff votes and ensures elected board members have broad community support.

Any Election with 3+ Candidates

The general rule is simple: whenever you have three or more candidates competing for a single position, IRV gives you a fairer outcome than traditional single-choice voting by capturing the full picture of voter preferences.

When NOT to Use IRV

If you have a yes/no question, only two candidates, or need to elect multiple winners simultaneously, IRV isn't the right fit. For yes/no questions, use Direct voting. For multi-seat elections, TapVoter's Multi-Winner method is designed specifically for that scenario.

How to Run an IRV Election with TapVoter

Setting up an instant runoff election on TapVoter takes just a few minutes. Follow these steps to get your ranked-choice election up and running:

Create a free TapVoter account

Sign up at TapVoter with your email or Google account. Elections are always free -- no credit card required, no trial period, no voter limits.

Create a new election and select "Ranked Choice (IRV)"

From your dashboard, click "Create Election" and choose "Ranked Choice (IRV)" as the voting method. Give your election a name and optional description.

Add positions and candidates

Create each position being voted on (e.g., President, Treasurer) and add the candidates for each. You can include candidate names, photos, and bios to help voters make informed choices.

Add voters

Add your voter list by entering names and emails manually, importing from a CSV file, or auto-generating unique voter keys. Each voter receives a secure, one-time-use link to cast their ballot.

Configure election dates, language, and branding

Set your election's start and end dates, choose from 25+ supported languages for the ballot interface, and optionally add your organization's logo and custom cover page.

Launch your election and share voter links

When you're ready, launch the election. TapVoter sends each voter their unique voting link by email. Voters can rank candidates by drag-and-drop on any device -- desktop, tablet, or mobile.

Monitor results in real-time with the live dashboard

Track voter turnout as it happens with TapVoter's live election monitor. See who has voted and who hasn't, and send reminders to voters who haven't cast their ballots yet.

Close the election and share results

When voting closes, TapVoter automatically calculates all IRV rounds -- showing you the complete round-by-round elimination and redistribution process. Share a public results link with your organization or export detailed results to CSV.

Fully Automated IRV Counting

You don't need to understand the math behind IRV to use it. TapVoter handles every step of the counting process automatically -- from first-choice tallies through each round of elimination and vote redistribution. Your results page shows the complete breakdown so voters can see exactly how the winner was determined.

Conclusion

Instant Runoff Voting is one of the most effective methods for single-winner elections with three or more candidates. By allowing voters to rank candidates in order of preference, IRV ensures that the winner has genuine majority support -- not just a plurality. It eliminates the need for separate runoff elections, reduces the spoiler effect, and encourages more positive, issue-focused campaigns.

While IRV requires slightly more voter education than traditional single-choice voting, digital platforms like TapVoter make the process seamless. The ranking interface is intuitive, the counting is fully automated, and the results are transparent -- showing every round of elimination so your voters can trust the outcome.

Whether you're running a student government election, a nonprofit board vote, a union leadership race, or any other organizational election, TapVoter gives you access to IRV and four other voting methods -- all completely free. Create your account and run your first ranked-choice election today.

What Is Instant Runoff Voting (IRV)? Complete Guide