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# First count votes in Parliamentary Elections in Malta - 1921-2017
- URL: https://www.karlsnotes.com/first-count-votes-in-parliamentary-elections-in-malta-1921-2017/
- Published: 2021-01-29T11:17:51.000Z
- Updated: 2024-02-07T16:12:22.000Z
- Author: Karl
- Tags: Data Visualisations

Malta is required to hold a General Election to elect Members of Parliament every 5 years. Elections are conducted using the [Single Transferable Vote](https://www.um.edu.mt/electionsdata/stvsystem?ref=karlsnotes.com) (STV) method, which is regarded as one of the fairest ways to transfer the wishes of the electorate into parliamentary seats, in a more representational manner.

The graphic representation above shows the number of first count votes – that is, the first preference of the voters, in General Elections held between 1921, when Malta had its first [Self-Government](https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/bitstream/123456789/55173/1/The%5F1921%5Fself%5Fgovernment%5Fconstitution.pdf?ref=karlsnotes.com), up to the last General Election in 2017.

It also shows how Malta moved from a multi-party democracy to a two-party system, defeating the intended purpose of the STV method.

#### Further reading:

- [How Malta Votes: An Overview](https://www.um.edu.mt/projects/maltaelections/stvsystem/howmaltavotes?ref=karlsnotes.com)
- Datasets used for the graphic representation were compiled by the University of Malta in its ‘Malta Elections’ project, and can be found [here](https://www.um.edu.mt/projects/maltaelections/elections/parliamentary?ref=karlsnotes.com).