Exaggerated opinions

[Markus Schulze]

Dear Mike,

you wrote (29 Apr 1998):
> I note that in order to conduct a ranked vote, there must first be
prepared a
> single ballot showing "all of the available choices".  Naturally, it is
> impossible to enumerate "every possible choice" therefore some
> dictatorial/hierarchical element must be created to create "the official
> ballot".  And if that ballot neglects to include "none of the above" then it
> can and will be used to force an outcome even if the voters uniformly
dislike
> all of the proferred choices.  That same dictatorial/hierarchical element
can
> also delay a vote with the plausible "we haven't gathered all of the
possible
> options yet".
> 
> Ranked votes (i.e. first, second, third) of ANY sort, regardless of the
> scoring method being used, necessarily involve a dictatorial ballot-creating
> function.

That's why most election methods have "write-in" options.

Markus