Expanding reform by a few

[donald at mich.com]

Greetings Method list,

Steve wrote:>
>A lot of voters don't make up their minds two weeks before a primary,
>and the candidates with $$$ still intend to spend a lot on ads to
>"help" the undecided voters.  But it's an interesting idea, and maybe
>it should be proposed to third parties.

Donald writes:
I would be inclined to agree with you - this may not work - Mike took the
same position in his letter on his reply to me. My main point is that we
all should look around and think what small start on reform can be made on
any level.

Steve wrote:>
>Another possibility is for parties which want to use a good sw
>method in their primaries to sue the state to try to force the state
>to comply.  The Greens of California sued Calif hoping to get the
>"None of the Above" choice on the Greens' primary ballot, but Calif
>successfully defended on the grounds that the cost to the state far
>exceeded the benefit.  Perhaps if several parties combine to sue for
>something more beneficial than NOTA, the case might be stronger.

Donald writes: Yes - the courts are a way to make laws - there is a lot of
that being done - why not for election reform.

Steve wrote:>
>Here's another idea, based on Donald's:  some states like Iowa use
>straw polls to decide party convention delegates.  What if electoral
>reformers attended some of the straw poll gatherings, which are
>highly participatory events, and use the opportunities to get the
>attendees to express and tally preference orders?  Anyone want to
>visit Iowa in the winter of 2000?

Donald writes: This is the best thing that can be done - it educates the
most people - but any election will do, it does not have to be the
Presidential election. Kevin raised this point back in June. Copy of that
exchange at end of this letter.

I have another case. Consider a city council election that uses at-large
plurality. If a small political committee were to collect a slate of
candidates to run in the election and they designed this slate to fit the
make up of the city - that would give the city proportional representation
if the slate won. There is a good chance they would succeed because even
now the proportional representation in at-large elections is much better
than it is for single district elections of lawmaking bodies.

Donald,
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Date: June 19 1996
Kevin wrote:
>A RELATED IDEA, IS NOT TO DO A POLL, BUT TO HAND OUT A MOCK BALLOT WHICH
>ALLOWS VOTERS TO RANK THE CANDIDATES IN ORDER OF PREFERNCE. THIS COULD BE
>DONE IN ADVANCE OF THE ELECTION, AND GENERATE SUPPORT FOR FAIRER BALLOTING
>METHODS.
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Dear Kevin,
     Now this mock ballot is good. Do it before the election so that the
results can also be out before the election. Explain to the people how
their list of selections is going to be computed.
     Some people will get a spark in their head and say - Why cannot we do
it this way in the actual election?
     Include a note with the results of the mock election stating that the
actual election may have different results. If the actual election is a lot
different, a lot more people will feel that the election should have been
using the mock election methods. We will be showing people - what could
have been!

Signed, Donald
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