(1)(a) Once a ballot is exhausted, it is disregarded and not subject to additional tabulation procedures.

     (b) A ballot assigning the same ranking to more than one candidate for an office is exhausted when the duplicate ranking is reached. No vote may be recorded for any candidates designated with the same ranking on the same ballot.

     (2) The county auditor may not count more than three choices for any one office from a ballot.

     (3) If the total number of votes for all write-in candidates in each race during any counting stage is fewer than the last place candidate among the candidates appearing on the ballot, all write-in candidates must be eliminated for that counting stage and subsequent counting stages.

     (4) If, following the conclusion of the counting stages, the tabulated ballots do not contain a sufficient number of effective second and lower choices for a candidate to receive a majority of the votes cast for any office, the candidate who either has the highest number of votes credited to him or her for that office, or who is the sole remaining candidate shall be deemed elected to the office.

     (5) No votes may be counted for a candidate who has been eliminated.

[2005 c 153 § 6.]