[EM] Election Reform Legal Language 25 July 1999

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Election Reform Legal Language 25 July 1999

General comment-

The below is based on a modification of simple head to head math (the 
Condorcet method) using groups.

Using the rank order votes, each group of N candidates is compared against 
one other candidate with the other candidates being presumed losers.

In general--

Test Winner(s) Group          Test Loser        Test Other Losers
TW1, TW2, TW3, etc.          versus  TL           TOL1, TOL2, TOL3, etc.

The first choice voters for the test other losers will rank one (or more) or 
the test winners ahead of the test loser (or the reverse) using their 2nd, 
etc. choice votes.

A candidate may or may not defeat each test loser when he/she is in a test 
winners group.  If a candidate in a test winners group does defeat each test 
loser, then he/she is a Condorcet winner.

If a candidate has a net large number of rank order votes against him/her in 
a pairing, then it shows that he/she is more or less a clone of the candidate 
that defeats him/her.

Note- in legislative body elections a candidate would at most need a Droop 
quota to win a seat.

The above would obviously need a computerized voting system to do all the 
comparisons in a large election (but which would be child’s play for many 
computers).

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Election of two or more (N) members of a legislative body at large or in a 
district.

Each elector may rank order vote for his/her first, second, etc. choice of 
candidates using “1’, “2”, etc.

(a) If the number of candidates is less than or equal to N, then such 
candidates shall be elected.
(b) (1) If the number of candidates is more than N, then each candidate shall 
be put in a group of N candidates and compared with one other candidate using 
all rank order votes.
  (2) If a candidate defeats each such other candidate when in each of 
his/her groups of N candidates, then he/she shall be elected.
  (3) If the number of elected candidates is less than the number remaining 
to be elected, then the candidate with the highest number of rank order votes 
against him/her in any pairing shall lose and the prior step shall be 
repeated, if necessary.

Each elected candidate shall have a voting power in the legislative body 
equal to the number of votes he/she finally receives as a first or later 
choice.
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Executive and judicial officers shall be elected, as follows:

Each elector may vote YES or NO on each candidate and may rank order vote 
his/her first, second, etc. choice of candidates using “1’, “2”, etc.

One candidate to be elected --- 

(a) If no candidate receives a YES majority of the number of electors voting 
for any candidate, then [the name of legislative body] shall fill the vacancy.
(b) If one candidate receives such majority, then he/she shall be elected.
(c) (1) If two or more candidates receive such majorities, then each of them 
shall be paired against each other using all rank order votes.
  (2) If one candidate defeats each other candidate, then he/she shall be 
elected.
  (3) If no candidate defeats each other candidate, then the candidate with 
the highest number of rank order votes against him/her in any pairing shall 
lose and the prior step shall be repeated, if necessary.

Two or more candidates to be elected --- 

(a) If the number of candidates receiving such YES majorities is less than or 
equal to the number to be elected, then such candidates shall be elected and 
[the name of legislative body] shall fill any vacancy.
(b) (1) If the number of candidates receiving such YES majorities is more 
than the number to be elected or remaining to be elected (N), then each such 
candidate shall be put in a group of N such candidates and compared with one 
other such candidate using all rank order votes.
  (2) If a candidate defeats each such other candidate (when in each of 
his/her groups of N candidates), then he/she shall be elected.
  (3) If the number of elected candidates is less than the number remaining 
to be elected, then the candidate with the highest number of rank order votes 
against him/her in any pairing shall lose and the prior step shall be 
repeated, if necessary.