FREE TOOL · NO ACCOUNT NEEDED
Top-three vote calculator
Turn first, second and third choices into a ranking. Paste your ballots, choose the scoring rule, and get a count you can check.
CSV processing stays on your device. Up to 1,000 ballots and 100 entries. Public voting links are not available.
1. Bring in the ballots
One ballot per row. The example uses Cedar, Maple and Oak. Identical rows count as separate ballots; verify who submitted them before counting.
Add candidates with no votes
Names differing only in case or whitespace are combined. Include an artist, author or other identifier when names could refer to different entries.
2. Check the result
Illustrative example · 5 ballots
First = 3 points · second = 2 · third = 1
| Rank | Entry | Points | Picks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cedar | 13 | 5 |
| 2 | Oak | 7 | 4 |
| 3 | Maple | 6 | 3 |
Ties share a rank and appear alphabetically. Entries with no points are unranked. This is a points tally; it does not run elimination rounds.
Share the result
Review the names and totals below, then copy them for your group. The summary includes a link to this calculator. Individual ballots are left out.
Inspect the counted ballots
- Cedar → Maple → Oak
- Maple → Cedar → Oak
- Cedar → Oak → Maple
- Oak → Cedar
- Cedar
An example can be exported for checking. For your own count, clear the example or paste your CSV. Saving keeps work in this browser; download a backup to move devices.
How top-three scoring works
For each entry, multiply its number of first choices by 3, second choices by 2, and third choices by 1. Add those points and order entries from highest to lowest. A first-only ballot still awards 3 points. A ballot with two choices awards 3 and 2 points.
Five illustrative ballots give Cedar 13 points, Oak 7 and Maple 6. Cedar appears first three times and second twice: (3 × 3) + (2 × 2) = 13. The last two ballots are intentionally shorter.
first,second,third
Cedar,Maple,Oak
Maple,Cedar,Oak
Cedar,Oak,Maple
Oak,Cedar,
Cedar,,With equal favorites, the same ballots give Cedar 5, Oak 4 and Maple 3 points. Download these sample ballots.
Common questions
Is this ranked-choice voting?
This tool uses a fixed points rule. Instant-runoff voting eliminates candidates and transfers preferences between rounds; this calculator does not. Use the method your group agreed before collecting ballots.
Can I use Google Forms or Excel data?
Yes, when each row contains one ballot and the selected columns contain the names of the first, second and third choices. Use the column selectors for exports with extra fields. A matrix of numeric ranks must be reshaped into choice names first.
What happens to duplicate or incomplete ballots?
Repeated picks within a ballot and gaps before later choices are rejected. Repeated complete rows count separately because two people can have identical preferences. The tool does not verify identities or deduplicate voters.
Does the site receive my ballots?
No. Calculation, files and saved boards stay on your device. The site records aggregate usage counters without ballot content or visitor IDs, and honors Global Privacy Control and Do Not Track. Read the scoring and privacy details.