[EM] RE: Approval- Cumulative Votes p.r. methods

[DEMOREP1 at aol.com]

Mr. Layton asked-

Why a quota?  Isn't the point of these proxy systems that the whole quota

thing is unneccessary (ie, keep eliminating & distributing 'till N

candidates left)?


To make the ballot papers simpler, could you not have limited (optional)

preferences instead of YES/NO, with some kind of instruction 'Write "1" next

to your preferred candidate, continue numbering candidates (2,3,4), but

number ONLY those candidates whom you consider appropriate for election' ?

---
D- Again- one of the very major complaints about p.r. is that some *extreme* 
p.r. methods permit very small factions (in effect single issue groups) to 
get seats.

Having a quota requirement is one way to limit such anti-p.r. comments (the 
ballots for the final group of choices failing to get quotas would go the 
quota winners using the number votes).

That is, there is the option of having proxy p.r. with a quota and without a 
quota.

As to the second question- a small group of voters may vote YES only for 
their  choices which ALL may lose.  Thus, some or all of such voters may want 
to vote for additional lesser of evil NO choices using number votes so that 
such voters have a proxy vote in the legislative body.    

Any legislator will note if he/she is being elected with YES or NO votes and 
the place of place votes (1st, 2nd, etc.).

Note on proxy voting --- many corporations have proxy voting in shareholders' 
meetings --- 

1 stock share = 1 proxy vote.

The proxy idea likewise applies to legislative body meetings---- 

1 voter = 1 proxy vote.

If ALL of the voters in an area with a large number of voters could assemble 
and there were a limited number of legislator seats (to represent ALL of the 
voters), would the voters in the smaller groups move around  ???  (noting 
that *whole* persons would be moving around--- not fractional folks as in 
some p.r. fractional vote transfer methods).

There is also the option of permitting a voter to change his/her proxy vote 
(with possible new legislators getting chosen --- i.e. a new person could get 
more proxy votes and replace an incumbent with the lowest number of proxy 
votes.).

Also, new voters (young and move ins) could proxy vote between regular 
elections.

It should be noted that I support annual elections for legislative bodies 
(and, if necessary, recall elections) in view of the well known observation 
that long terms produce arrogant legislators (aka *politicians*).