In the process, during step 1, where a team must appear on 3 or more of the committee member's top 30 list, a recusal basically counts as a vote as while they can't be on that member's list, they only need 2 or more to remain in consideration.

In step 2, each member lists the best 6 teams. A recused member can't list their team. The top 6 teams by number of selections will be ranked in the next round. If a team with a recusal is one vote out of that group, a tiebreaker vote is held by the other members.

In step 3, they each rank the teams 1-6. 1 point for 1st, 2 for 2nd, etc. The top 3 fewest points are your 1-3. If you are recused for a team in that pod of 6, you sit out the whole vote.

From there, they basically repeat this process with the next best 6 (at some point they switch to 8 on the list and 4 being ranked) until there is a top 25.

So honestly, having a recused member isn't that big of a deal at any point. Having 2 is probably a minor disadvantage in step 2 since it only makes up for 1, but having 1 is probably a minor advantage in step 1 to get onto the list for consideration as it lowers the bar there.

I didn't realize it was so involved compared to the typical polls where they go 1-25 in one go.
[Post edited by jmanatVT at 12/03/2018 3:46PM]