Sir, – I note Barry Walsh in his letter (May 26th) correctly stated that it was not necessary to obtain a quota on the first count in order to be elected but the quota must be reached in subsequent counts.
While it is axiomatic that a candidate will be elected whenever a quota is reached, it is not necessary to reach a quota in order to be elected. In the four byelections held on November 29th, 2019, in the constituencies of Dublin Fingal, Dublin Mid-West, Cork North Central and Wexford, to fill the vacancies created by sitting TDs being elected to the European Parliament, none of the candidates who were elected reached the quota. To be elected it is only necessary to be ahead of any other remaining candidate when all votes have been transferred. – Yours, etc,
PAUL WALSH,
Skerries,
Co Dublin.