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.

Your comments are irrelevant because of two reasons:

First: The question how the votes are casted and the question
how the votes are counted can be answered independently.
There is absolutely no reason, why the ballot-creation should
be more dictatorial for a ranked vote than for a rated
vote.

Second: The question, whether there should be a "none of the
above", can be answered independently on whether there is a
ranked vote or a rated vote. The question, what should be done
if "none of the above" is chosen, can be answered independently
on whether there is a ranked vote or a rated vote.

Markus