Definitions.
Saint Paul Legislative Code § 31.02
in effectSec. 31.02. - Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this chapter shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them in this section:
Batch elimination means a simultaneous defeat of multiple continuing candidates for whom it is mathematically impossible to be elected.
Chief election official means the city clerk and his or her designee.
Continuing candidate means a candidate who has been neither elected nor defeated.
Exhausted ballot means a ballot that cannot be advanced under section 31.05.
Highest continuing ranking means the ranking on a voter's ballot with the lowest numerical value for a continuing candidate.
Mathematically impossible to be elected means either:
(1) The candidate could never win because his or her current vote total plus all votes that could possibly be transferred to him or her in future rounds (from candidates with fewer votes and tied candidates) would not be enough to surpass the candidate with the next higher current vote total; or
(2) The candidate has a lower current vote total than a candidate who is described by (1).
An overvote occurs when a voter ranks more than one (1) candidate at the same ranking.
Ranked voting means an election method in which voters rank candidates for an office in order of their preference and the ballots are counted in rounds that simulate a series of runoffs until one (1) candidate meets the threshold, or until two (2) candidates remain and the candidate with the greater number of votes is declared elected.
Ranked voting tabulation center means the place selected for the electronic or manual processing and tabulation of ballots and/or votes.
Ranking means the number assigned by a voter to a candidate to express the voter's preference for that candidate. Ranking number one (1) is the highest ranking. A ranking of lower numerical value indicates a greater preference for a candidate than a ranking of higher numerical value.
Round means an instance of the sequence of voting tabulation steps established in section 31.05 of this chapter.
Skipped ranking occurs when a voter leaves a ranking blank and ranks a candidate at a subsequent ranking.
Threshold means the number of votes sufficient for a candidate to be elected. In any given election, the threshold for an office equals the total votes counted in the first round, divided by two (2), then adding one (1) to the quotient, disregarding any fractions.
Transferable vote means a vote for a candidate who has been either elected or defeated.
An undervote occurs on any round of voting when a voter does not rank any candidates for an office.
(Ord. No. 10-60, § 1, 2-9-11)
Source: City of Saint Paul, Minnesota, City Charter, Legislative Code and Administrative Code (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/mn/st._paul/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIILECO_TITVEL_CH31ELRUMUELUNRAVO_S31.02DEFetched: 11/1/2026