# create votes, an empty list
votes = []

# open votes.txt file
votes_file = open('votes.txt', 'r')

# read the next line in the file
# end of file?
for line in votes_file:
    # convert line to a list by splitting at commas
    vote = line.strip().split(',')

    # append whole vote to votes list
    votes.append(vote)

# set result to False - there is no result yet
result = False

# create eliminated, an empty list, to store eliminated candidates
eliminated = []

# process votes for the round
while not result:

    # create votes_count, an empty dictionary
    votes_count = {}

    # read next item in votes list - process each vote separately
    # end of list?
    for vote in votes:

        # set counted to False - this vote has not been counted yet
        counted = False
        # set preference to 0 - used to iterate over vote
        index = 0

        # until the vote is counted (i.e. a preferred candidate is found)
        while not counted:

            # is current preferenced candidate still in election?
            if vote[index] not in eliminated:

                # set vote_candidate to current candidate
                vote_candidate = vote[index]

                # is candidate already in votes_count?
                if vote_candidate in votes_count:
                    # add 1 to candidate's value
                    votes_count[vote_candidate] += 1
                else:
                    # store a new key in votes_count with candidate's name and value = 1
                    votes_count[vote_candidate] = 1

                # set counted to True
                counted = True

            else:
                # check the next candidate
                index += 1

    # get candidate with most votes from votes_count
    # create winner as empty string and max_votes = 0
    winner = ""
    max_votes = 0

    # check next candidate to see if highest
    # end of dictionary?
    for candidate in votes_count:
        # is value > max_votes?
        if votes_count[candidate] > max_votes:
            # set max_votes = value, winner = key
            max_votes = votes_count[candidate]
            winner = candidate

    # check to see if winner has absolute majority
    if max_votes > len(votes) / 2:

        # set result to True - a result has been determined
        result = True

    else:

        # get lowest ranked candidate from votes_count
        # create lowest as empty string and min_votes = total votes
        lowest = ""
        min_votes = len(votes)

        # check next candidate to see if lowest
        # end of dictionary?
        for candidate in votes_count:
            # is value < min_votes?
            if votes_count[candidate] < min_votes:
                # set min_votes = value, lowest = key
                min_votes = votes_count[candidate]
                lowest = candidate

        # append the lowest ranked candidate to the eliminated list
        eliminated.append(lowest)

# print winner, max_votes
print(winner, "wins the election with", max_votes, "votes.")