[EM] Second Opinion please

[Donald E Davison]

 ----------- Forwarded Letter by Blake ----------
To: Donald E Davison <donald at mich.com>
From: Blake Cretney <bcretney at postmark.net>
Subject: Criticism of ABC methods page
Date: Fri, 23 Apr 1999 19:54:35 +0000

Blake wrote:
     I have drawn up some comments about the "A-B-C" methods section of
your web site. I hope you can use this as constructive criticism.
Most points take the form of requests for clarification of various
points.

Don's Web Site Text:
     There are other methods proposed for electing single-seat positions -
other than Choice Run-off. Three of the proposed methods are the A-B-C
methods, Approval Voting, Borda Count, and Condorcet.
     In these three methods, as in Choice Voting, the voter is allowed to
select a number of choices. And, also as in Choice Voting, if there is a
majority candidate on the count of the first choices, there is a winner -
the election is over - no math of any method is needed.

Blake wrote:
     That isn't true of approval, as I define it. There may be multiple
candidates with a majority approval. There is no way to tell which, if
any, would have a majority of first-choice votes.

Donald writes:
     I am willing to be corrected, but I am not yet willing to accept your
defination as correct. You seem to be defining Plurality-at-Large.

     Of all the persons, other than you, that have written on Approval
Voting(AV), they have all been more than willing to have AV step aside if
there is a candidate with fifty percent plus one or more on the count of
the first choices.
     One of the flaws of AV is that it will not always elect the majority
winner of the first choices. If I read you correctly, you are taking the
position that this is the way it should be. If so, you certainly are
daring. The supporters of a majority winner may want to "hang your ass" if
you tell them their candidate is a loser.
     You should rethink this majority postion of yours.

     I need to ask for a second opinion on this issue.

     Demorep, you advocate Approval Voting, tell us if the majority
candidate of the first chount is the winner?

Donald,

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 T H E   C O D E   O F   H O N O R   F O R   R E F O R M   A C T I V I S T S

     Any group of reform activists that are thinking about a petition drive
to place a proposal on the ballot are to present their proposal beforehand
to all other reform activists that they know of. The time for debate and
negative comments is before the petition stage. Once the group makes its
final proposal and enters the petition stage, the debates and negative
comments by all reform activists is to cease.
    At this time each activist is to make an honest evaluation. If the
initiative will improve government then each activist is to find it in his
heart to support the initiative, even if it is not exactly what the
activist would like.

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   |                         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                               |
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