There are many types of preferential voting, but only
instant-runoff voting (alternative vote) and
single transferable vote are being used in governmental elections. Instant runoff voting is employed in Australia at the state and federal levels, in Ireland for its presidential elections, and by some cities in the United States, United Kingdom, and New Zealand. The single transferable vote is used for national elections in the Republic of Ireland and Malta, for regional and local elections in Northern Ireland, for all local elections in Scotland, and for some local elections in New Zealand and the United States.