Both methods I mentioned are essentially the same. But single transferable vote is designed to also cope with having multiple winners. Basically, if your vote is going to be wasted because you've voted for a loser, then your vote transfers to your next preference. If your vote is going to be partly wasted because you voted for a clear winner, then a portion of that vote will go to your next preference.
It would make voting more complicated as we'd have to rank our preferences, but it means that there'd be far fewer arguments about the results.
For the record, I think I was too harsh on the bard. But I've never played a game where I've enjoyed the class.
