[EM] Poll Ballots, from poll-topics poll

[Richard Moore]

MIKE OSSIPOFF wrote:

> 1. I should specify that if the method that you've designated returns
>    a tie, then, instead of using Random Ballot to solve that tie, your
>    ballot simply gives an Automatic Approval vote to each of the winners
>    that your designated method has returned, and to everyone whom
>    you've ranked higher than at least one of those winners.

That rule works OK for cases where I rated the two tied candidates
closely.

What if I vote A>B>C>D, and there is a tie in the method I designate
between A and D? Voter's Choice would end up executing a poor
Approval voting strategy on my behalf. Random is somewhat better in
that I get at least a 50/50 chance of having an A-only vote placed.

Maybe a better method would be to pick the midpoint between my
A and D ratings (or whichever two candidates tied), and approve those
candidates I rate at or higher than this midpoint.

I wonder if this method might also encourage voters to rate the
candidates more sincerely? Say I rate A=100, B=70, C=50, and
D=0. Then a tie between A and D would select A, B, and C,
and a tie between A and C would select A only. A tie between
B and C would select A and B. And so on.

Another possibility -- Take the mean of all the candidates I ranked
higher than the lowest tied candidate, and choose the candidates that
are above the mean.

Richard