Page:Carroll (1884).djvu/40

 must be just greater than $r⁄m + 1$. For example, if 55,000 votes had been given, and the District had to return 6 Members, the quota needed to return one Member would be just greater than 7,857 and 1-7th: i.e., a Member, having 7,858 votes, would be returned. Similarly, anything just greater than 15,714 and 2-7ths would be enough (if the votes could be reckoned en masse) to return 2 Members: i.e., if 2 Members of the same party had 15,715 votes between them, both could be returned. We shall prove, further on, that such reckoning of votes is equitable and ought to be provided for.

This quota must be carefully distinguished from the one discussed at p. 9. If a District, returning one Member, contains 10,001 Electors, the quota needed, before the poll is closed, to make it certain that A will be returned, is 5,001; but, if only 8,001 vote, the quota needed, after the poll is closed, to return him, is only 4,001. For the purpose of assigning Members to a District, it is fair to proceed as if all the Electors were sure to vote; but, for the purpose of returning Members, we can count only the votes that are actually recorded.