What voting method allows voters to distribute their votes among multiple candidates?

Cumulative voting is a method that allows voters to allocate multiple votes to one or more candidates in an election. This system is particularly beneficial in settings where representation of minority groups is desired, as it enables voters to express their preferences more flexibly compared to traditional voting methods.

In cumulative voting, each voter typically has as many votes as there are positions available, and they can choose to give all their votes to one candidate, distribute them among several candidates, or any combination of these. This means that if a voter's preferred candidate has a strong support base, they can concentrate their votes there; conversely, if they wish to support multiple candidates, they can distribute their votes among them.

This method leads to a more nuanced representation of the electorate's preferences and can help ensure that minority viewpoints are heard and have a chance of being represented in governance. Such flexibility is not present in standard voting, proportional representation, or the single transferable vote methods, making cumulative voting a unique and effective approach in certain electoral contexts.