The final process.
The compilation of the returns for the whole constituency took place on the following day. The returning officer presided, and was assisted by four assessors, a secretary and three witnesses, who attended on behalf of the chief parties. In addition there were two professional calculators, who were responsible for the accuracy of the arithmetical processes. The proceedings, in brief, consisted in extracting the details of the returns furnished by the 120 counting places. The final sheet for each list showed not only the total number of votes obtained by the party, but the number of votes of preference recorded for each candidate. The votes for each list were as follows:—
List No.1. List No.2. List No.3. List No.4. List No.5. List No.6. 78,868 39,788 913 1,094 23,118 271
The process of allotting the seats to the respective parties then commenced. The totals for each list were divided by the numbers 1, 2, 3, and so on, and arranged thus:—
List List List List List List
No. 1. No. 2. No. 3. No. 4. No. 5. No. 6
78,865 39,788 913 1,094 23,118 271
39,432 19,894 11,559
26,288 13,262
19,716 9,947
15,773
13,144
11,266
The eleven highest figures thus obtained were then arranged in order of magnitude, and the seats allotted accordingly:—
1st Seat 78,865 (List No. 1—Catholic)
2nd " 39,783 ( " No. 2—Liberal)
3rd " 39,432 ( " No. 1—Catholic)
4th " 26,288 ( " No. 1—Catholic)
5th " 23,118 ( " No. 5—Socialist)
6th " 19,894 ( " No. 2—Liberal)
7th " 19,716 ( " No. 1—Catholic)
8th " 15,773 ( " No. 1—Catholic)
9th " 13,262 ( " No. 2—Liberal)
10th " 13,144 ( " No. 1—Catholic)
11th " 11,559 ( " No. 5—Socialist)
Thus the Catholics, Liberals, and Socialists obtained six, three, and ten seats respectively. It will be noticed that the eleventh figure, 11,559, which is the "common divisor," or "electoral quotient," is contained six times in the Catholic total, with a remainder of 9511; three times in the Liberal total, with a remainder of 5000; and twice in the Socialist total.
The highest number of preferences recorded for any individual candidate (although placards had been posted inviting votes of preference for M. Buysse, the candidate fourth on the Liberal list, and for M. Cambier, the candidate third on the Socialist list) were 1914 and 1635, much too small to effect any change in the order of the candidates as arranged by the associations. It remains to add that the task was accomplished with perfect regularity and despatch; the figures were checked at each stage, but as the number of votes polled in the double election (for the Senate and for the Chamber) amounted to no less than 270,892, it is not surprising that the compilation of the final figures was not completed until midnight.
Public opinion favorable to the system.