Quick Answer
Score voting, also called range voting or cardinal voting, gives each voter a scale and asks them to score every candidate independently. A voter might give one candidate 5, another 4, and a third 0. Scores are added up, and the highest total wins, or for a board, the highest totals fill the seats.
It is the only common method that captures strength of support rather than just order. A ranked ballot cannot tell you whether your second choice was nearly as good as your first or barely tolerable. A scored ballot can.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Confirm what your governing documents allow before adopting a new method.
How Score Voting Works
- 1You choose a scale. A 0 to 5 scale is the usual default.
- 2Every candidate gets their own slider or set of buttons. Scoring one candidate does not limit what you can give another, so you may score two candidates 5 apiece.
- 3Scores are summed across all ballots.
- 4Highest total wins. For N seats, the top N totals win.
A worked example
Four nominees, one seat, on a 0 to 5 scale, 100 members voting.
| Candidate | Total points | Average score | Ballots scoring them |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nakamura | 342 | 3.42 | 100 |
| Osei | 318 | 3.71 | 86 |
| Park | 295 | 2.95 | 100 |
| Ruiz | 141 | 2.82 | 50 |
Nakamura wins on total points. Look at Osei though: a higher average, from fewer ballots. That gap is exactly what score voting surfaces and what a ranked count would hide, and it is why the results page shows both figures.
The Zero Versus Blank Trap
This is the single most misunderstood part of score voting, and it decides real elections.
- Scoring a candidate 0 is an active judgment. It says you considered them and rate them at the bottom. It counts in their average and drags it down.
- Leaving a candidate blank is a non-judgment. They receive no points from your ballot, and your ballot is not counted in their average at all.
The two look identical on a total-points count and behave very differently on an average. A candidate whom half the room ignored and half the room loved has a strong average and a weak total. Decide which of the two your bylaws mean before you run the election, and tell your members what a blank does.
Score Voting Compared
| Score | Approval | Instant runoff | Borda | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballot asks | Rate each | Tick any number | Rank in order | Rank in order |
| Captures strength | Yes | No | No | Partially |
| Captures order | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Counting | One pass | One pass | Multiple rounds | One pass |
| Voter effort | Highest | Lowest | Moderate | Moderate |
Approval voting is score voting on a 0-to-1 scale. That is not a metaphor, it is literally the same count with two allowed values, which is a useful way to explain the pair to a board.
A note on STAR voting. STAR, meaning Score Then Automatic Runoff, adds a final head-to-head round between the two highest scorers. It is a distinct method and we do not currently run it. If your bylaws name STAR specifically, score voting is not a substitute for it.
When to Use It
- You want nuance, not just order. Committee shortlists, vendor selection, and community priority-setting all benefit.
- Candidates are not directly comparable. Scoring each against a fixed standard is more natural than forcing a strict order.
- Turnout is engaged. Score ballots take longer than any other type, so they suit smaller, motivated electorates better than mass turnout drives.
Avoid it where your members expect a familiar ballot and the election is contentious. A novel ballot format plus a close result is an avoidable argument.
Running Score Voting Online
Score voting is the Scored question type in the election wizard, described as "score each candidate".
Two settings:
- Scale top. Any value from 2 to 10, defaulting to 5. Scores then run from 0 to that number. A 0 to 5 scale is the most widely understood.
- Seats. How many of the highest totals win. One for a single seat, or the number of open board seats.
The results page publishes total points, average score, and how many ballots scored each candidate, so a member checking the outcome can see the total-versus-average story for themselves. A tie for the last seat is reported rather than resolved.
Elections up to 25 voters are free, and paid elections start at $4.99.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is score voting?
A method where voters rate every candidate independently on a numeric scale, the scores are added up, and the highest total wins. It is also called range voting or cardinal voting.
Q: What is the difference between score voting and ranked choice voting?
Ranked choice captures the order of your preferences. Score voting captures the gaps between them, so it can tell that you rated your top two nearly equal while your third was far behind.
Q: Is scoring a candidate zero the same as leaving them blank?
No. A zero is a judgment that counts in that candidate's average. A blank gives no points and leaves your ballot out of their average entirely. The two produce different results and members should be told which is which.
Q: Is approval voting a type of score voting?
Effectively yes. Approval voting is score voting on a scale with only two values, zero and one, counted the same way.
Q: Does vote.direct support STAR voting?
No. STAR voting adds an automatic runoff between the two highest scorers, which is a distinct method. Score voting is supported without that final round.
Ready to run one? Create your election, or compare every method in the voting methods series.
This article is general information, not legal advice. We recommend you do your own research and confirm anything you plan to act on. Where this article states law, the section is cited so you can read the primary source yourself rather than take our word for it — that is what the citations are for. Election requirements also turn on your own governing documents, which we have not seen, and statutes are amended. For advice about your community, consult a qualified attorney licensed in your state.
We work hard to verify every citation against the primary source, but laws change and errors happen. If you spot an inaccuracy, email [email protected] and we will correct it. See our editorial standards for how these pages are researched and checked.
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