Re: Final proposed Board resolution for Board elections voting system

Josh berkus writes ("Re: Final proposed Board resolution for Board elections voting system"):
> > 8. The practical implementation will be by means of software; for
> > example, perhaps the openstv package in Debian. The choice of
> > software is up to the Secretary. However, any differences between
> > the Rules in the Order, and whatever software implementation is
> > chosen, are to be resolved in favour of the Rules.
>
> What the heck does that last sentence mean?

I don't understand how it's not clear.

"The Rules in the Order" is a reference to the previous paragraph,
which talks about "Rules 45-52 of the Scottish Local Government
Elections Order 2007".

The last sentence is saying that if the software gives different
answers to those specified by the UK legislation which defines
Scottish STV, then the winners of the election are the winners
according to the legislation, not the winners according to the
software.

Ie differences between the specification (taken from the UK law) and
the implementation (whatever software we use, perhaps multiple pieces
of software for verification) are bugs.

I'd be happy to entertain suggestions for a plainer wording.

Ian.