In this system:

1. For the election of one candidate, the voter need only indicate a preference for the candidate of his/her first choice, but may mark a preference for all or some of the remaining candidates on the ballot paper.
2. The method of counting the votes is similar to that for the standard preferential system. However, under optional preferential voting, whenever a ballot paper shows no preference for a continuing candidate, that ballot paper is said to be exhausted.
3. A candidate will be elected when he/she obtains an absolute majority of those votes remaining in the count at any stage.
4. A sample tally sheet to elect one candidate is illustrated in the table below.

Note that at the completion of candidate H's exclusion, a total of 154 ballot papers have become exhausted, and the number of formal votes remaining in the count is reduced to 799 votes.

Table - Optional standard preferential system - election of one candidate (out of 8 nominees - A to H)

	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	Exh*	Total formal votes	Informal ballet papers	Total ballet papers
1st preference votes	112	55	330	18	42	297	39	60	-	953	47	1000
D excluded - transferred	-	2	-	(18)	-	9	1	-	6			18 votes
Progressive	112	57	330	EX	42	306	40	60	6	953		total
G excluded - transferred	-	6	3	-	-	24	(40)	-	7			40 votes
Progressive	112	63	333		42	330	EX	60	13	953		total
E excluded - transferred	-	3	5		(42)	5		25	4			42 votes
Progressive	112	66	338		EX	335		85	17	953		total
B excluded- transferred	-	(66)	5			1		36	24			66 votes
Progressive	112	EX	343			336		121	41	953		total
A excluded - transferred	(112)		30			16		23	43			112 votes
Progressive