preferences counted standard

Mike Ositoff ntk at netcom.com
Thu Oct 22 20:11:20 PDT 1998


This is a procedural standard that, by itself, isn't enough.
So my other, properties-oriented, standards & criteria,
relating 1st Choice abandonment and majority rule are what
are important to me.

Still, it's worth mentioning a criterion about preferences
being counted, because IRO fails even that most basic
& obvious procedural criterion.

We like rank balloting because it expresses any preference
you want to express. It's reasonable to ask that those
preferences be counted, fully & reliably.

IRV fails that in a really obvious way. When it eliminates
someone whom you need in order to beat someone worse, because
your vote hasn't reached him yet, then it's ignoring your
expressed preference for him over those you've ranked him
over.

That's inexcusable. Is it really possible that anyone could
advocate a method that fails in that gross way?

Mike




More information about the Election-Methods mailing list