2000 Speaker of the British House of Commons election for electing a Speaker were changed the following year to a use a secret and exhaustive ballot. This procedure was first used in the Speaker election of 2009. Under the old system for electing Speakers of the House of Commons, a candidate would be nominated and seconded, and alternative candidates would be offered as 'amendments' to that initial motion. In 2000, 11 candidates stepped forward, leading Sir Edward Heath, presiding in his capacity as Father of the House, to have the candidates voted on two at a time. He called Michael Martin to be nominated first. In the event, no
Next Speaker of the British House of Commons election the House (currently Kenneth Clarke) acts as presiding officer of the Commons during the election process. If there is only one candidate, a motion is put before the House asking if the candidate should take the Chair as Speaker. If the question is challenged the decision is made by division (vote). If there is more than one candidate the House then votes by secret ballot using the exhaustive ballot voting system, with each MP having one vote and an absolute majority required for victory. If no candidate wins a majority then the individual with the fewest votes is eliminated, as