Proposed MMP ballot initiative in Colorado

[Gary Swing]

On Wed, 22 Apr 1998, New Democracy wrote:

> Dear Olli Salmi,
> 
> You wrote:
> >Not bad. The voters have some say over the party list so I think this is
> >better than the New Zealand system.
> 
> Don writes: I failed to see that the voters have some say over the party
> list. What do you see in the Colorado initiative that gives the voters some
> say?

Voters have a choice of voting either for a pre-ordered list or for an
individual candidate within the list.

Of course, voters within a party would presumably also determine the order
of candidates within the pre-ordered list, but the method of nomination is
left to be determined by statute.
  
> You wrote:
> >Why do you use the largest remainder method? It produces erratic results.
> >Why not use Sainte-Lague/Webster?

The largest remainder method is simplest to explain.
 
> Don writes: The largest remainder is not the best method but it does have
> some logic to its use - the largest remainder get the remainder seats.
> 
>      You have raised the suggestion of Sainte-Lague before and you have
> explained how it works very well and I understand the mechanics of it - but
> I do not see the logic of why it should be used. In other words, why is
> Sainte-Lague a valid method to use to resolve the remainders?
> 
>      It appears to me that these divisor methods are merely simple
> mathematical games that we can play for amusement, but without any reason
> why they should be used in an election.
> 
>      Could you - would you explain why divisors should be allowed to
> resolve the remainders?
> 
>      The best solution is to allow the voters to rank the parties and then
> use Choice Voting(STV) to resolve the remainders.
> 
>      I agree with you that the personal ballots should decide the order of
> the election. (I am assuming that you mean the order of the candidates on
> each party list.)
> 
> Donald
> 
> 
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