In article <CgXym.6392$4Y3.5357@newsfe25.ams2>, guy.barry@blueyonder.co.uk 
(Guy Barry) wrote:

>  wrote in message
> news:jcedneNXpYSsWVbXnZ2dnUVZ8nudnZ2d@giganews.com...
> > In article <VRJym.14287$Xz6.11953@newsfe18.ams2>,
> > guy.barry@blueyonder.co.uk (Guy Barry) wrote:
> 
> > > Well I must misunderstand the Irish voting system then, because I
> > > thought they used STV, where each vote is used to elect a single
> > > candidate (though it may not be the voter's first preference).  I
> > > didn't realize it was possible to vote for a combination.  How does 
> > > that work?
> >
> > The way the voters transfer their votes have often indicated support
> > or otherwise for proposed coalitions.
> 
> OK, but how does that affect the outcome of the election?  Would party A
> be more inclined to enter a coalition with party B if a high proportion
> of its votes had been transfers from party B?

If they owe some of their seats to transfers of votes from the other party 
they sure will be! If the transfers don't occur they may well not be in a 
position to form the coalition.

-- 
Cllr. Colin Rosenstiel
Cambridge                    http://www.rosenstiel.co.uk/
Cambridge Liberal Democrats: http://www.cambridgelibdems.org.uk/