[EM] Blake Cretney, are you a member of the Intelligentsiya??

[Instant Runoff Voting supporter]

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 12/26/00
Blake Cretney wrote: "My view is the following, and you can tell me if you
disagree."

Dear Blake Cretney,

     I disagree with you. In effect, what you are saying is: Because a
majority of you voters will be making poor selections as your first
choices, we have decided to let you try to do better on your lower choices.
In other words; do it over until you get it right, until you elect the
CORRECT candidate.
     What you consider to be a poor candidate is someone else's number one
preferred choice. The beauty of a candidate is in the eye of the beholder.

     The first choices will rank the candidates highest down to lowest. The
lower choices will rank the candidates in reverse order. Anyone who tries
to mix the lower choices into some sort of weird mathematics is merely
trying to help the lower ranked candidates, trying to use lower choices to
help defeat first choices.
     We should design an election method to treat all voters and factions
with equality. We should not design an election system with the intent to
favor certain persons nor groups. Do not favor the highest nor the lowest
candidates. Do not favor the the largest nor the smallest party. Do not
favor the best candidates nor the worst candidates. Do not favor the Right
nor the Left nor the Center. Favoring is to be done by only the voters.

    The bottom line in winning an election is to get the votes. Instant
Runoff Voting treats all voters and candidates with equality. It is not the
fault of IRV that most candidates will not get enough votes.
    Having a runoff is no problem, we are merely allowing the voters of the
lowest candidate to change their vote if they care to do so. While they are
not required to change, we would like them all to make a change, because we
want everyone to be part of the final decision between the last two
candidates, that is why we have forced elimination of the lowest candidate.
    It will not be necessary for most of the voters to change their vote,
therefore it is best if most of the voters do not make any lower choices.
Otherwise, these lower choices of the major parties will be used by the
Intelligentsiya to argue that these voters really wanted to vote for
someone else, not their first choice - a silly argument.
    Are you a member of the Intelligentsiya??
    If not, learn to love IRVing and be happy.
    Irving is coming!

Regards, Donald

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 12/22/00
Twelve Advantages of Instant Runoff Voting(of Irving):

    1) Avoids Lessor of Two Evils Factor:
    2) May allow a strong third party:
    3) Majority Realized in every Election:
    4) Voter Participation Increased:
    5) Less Negative Campaigns:
    6) Primary in General Election Possible:
    7) Lower Election Costs:
    8) Vacancy filled from Data of last Election:
    9) Increases legitimacy of ultimate winner's agenda:
   10) Brings new ideas and people forward for public scrutiny:
   11) It makes political debates exciting:
   12) Voters don't feel disenfranchised:

1) Avoids Lessor of Two Evils Factor:
   I feel that the number one advantage of Instant Runoff Voting is that I
will be free to vote for my most preferred candidate, even if he is low in
the polls, and yet I will still be able to make a lessor of two evils
choice, if and when it becomes necessary, on the final decision between the
last two candidates.
   My most preferred candidate will receive far more votes because others
will be doing the same as I am doing. My most preferred could bypass one of
the top two, maybe even win. But if not, and when the lowest spot catches
up with him, I will be allowed to change my vote to another candidate, and
to another if necessary. Like I said, I'll still have a vote when the final
decision needs to be made between the last two candidates.
   I will not have only one choice and be forced to use it on the lessor of
two evils.

2) May allow a strong third party:
   Instant Runoff Voting will result in more first choices being cast for
third parties. One of these third parties may join the top two as an
additional strong and viable party.
   Would you like to see an active, strong, and viable third party in our
country? If so, you are in the majority. In national polling, sixty to
sixty-five percent of Americans say that they would like to see an active,
strong, and viable third party.
   This raises the question, why don't we have that now if that is what we
want? It's our voting method, the Plurality method that we use can only
handle a two party election, any more will not fit into the system, they
will be neglected.
   Most Americans realize they must vote for one of only two candidates or
parties, otherwise they will have no say when the final decision is made
between the last two candidates. It is the Plurality method that forces the
two party system on us.
   Top Two Runoff and Supplementary Vote are better, but not by much more,
they will handle three parties, but the rest will also be neglected.
   The good news is that there is a method in which voters could vote for
one or more third parties and still have a vote when the final decision is
made between the last two candidates. That method is Instant Runoff Voting,
which can handle any number of parties, and will treat all the parties
equally. This may create a strong third party.

3) Majority Realized in every Election:
   Sometimes in an single-winner election the leading candidate does not
receive a majority. Do you belive it would be best for a candidate to be
elected by a majority? If so, you are still in the majority. One way to
solve this is to have a runoff election for the top two candidates. Of
course, this would require another election at a later date. If you think
that it should be possible to somehow have the runoff election right within
the orginal election, well, I have good news for you, it is possible,
Instant Runoff Voting will elect candidates with majorities in every
election.

4) Voter Participation Increased:
   Once people realize they can direct their vote from candidate to
candidate by controlling their choices, the participation of the voters
should increase.

5) Less Negative Campaigns:
   Candidates would be wary of alienating potential second-choice voters.
   When Instant Runoff Voting is the method in use, candidates feel the
need for second choices nearly as much as their need for first place
choices, they will not offend the supporters of other candidates as much.


6) Primary in General Election Possible:
   Instant Runoff Voting makes it possible to conduct the primary election
inside of the general election. The runoff cycles of IRV will sort out the
leading candidate of each party.
   Having the primary in the general election will force the candidates to
run more against candidates of other parties and less against candidates of
their own party. Too often, in a primary election, candidates of the same
party will damage each other to the extent that the winner of the primary
will go into the general election under a dark cloud, or in other words, he
will be carrying baggage. Candidates of the same party should not be
attacking each other.
   Candidates must realize that most people base their vote more on the
party than on the candidate. So, when a candidate attacks another candidate
of the same party, it's like he is attacking the party.
   Because primaries force candidates of the same party to attack each
other, the primaries must go.

7) Lower Election Costs:
   The total cost of all elections will be less when we no longer have a
primary before the general election nor a later runoff election.

8) Vacancy filled from Data of last Election:
   Instant Runoff Voting will allow us to use the data from the last
election to fill a vacancy. This can be done in both non-partisan elections
and partisan elections in which the primary is part of the general
election.
   But it should be noted that if a primary election is conducted before
the general election, we will not be able to fill a vacancy using the data
of the last general election. This is because each party will have had only
one candidate running in the general election. Which means that the party
of the now vacant office holder will not have another candidate in the data
to possibly fill the vacancy.

9) Increases legitimacy of ultimate winner's agenda:
   It is hard to say your program is acceptible to the people when you win
with only 42% of the vote.

10) Brings new ideas and people forward for public scrutiny:
    Too many ideas, and people, are "dead on arrival" because the major
parties want them on the back burner - IRV allows people to vote their
conscience not just for people but ideas that deserve to be aired, without
"wasting" their vote.

11) It makes political debates exciting:
    There would be more reason to include alternative party candidates, air
their views, and see how they fit into the mix as the major parties try to
woo their supporters to rank them second if a runoff occurs.

12) Voters don't feel disenfranchised:



Regards, Donald Davison - Host of New Democracy,  www.mich.com/~donald
    To subscribe: Send blank email to:  New Democracy <donald at mich.com>

   +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+
   |                         Q U O T A T I O N                         |
   |  "Democracy is a beautiful thing,                                 |
   |       except that part about letting just any old yokel vote."    |
   |                            - Age 10                               |
   +=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+