[EM] Advantages of CR style ballots

[Forest Simmons]

On Thu, 27 Dec 2001, Bart Ingles wrote:

> 
> Forest Simmons wrote:
> > 
> > Joe Weinstein argues the advantages of unconstrained CR style ballots
> > below.  I would like to add my two bits worth.
> > 
> > Most of the arguments against the use of CR ballots are based on the
> > misguided assumption that the only way to use CR ballots is to give the
> > win to the candidate with the highest average rating.
> 
> One argument against CR ballots actually uses the opposite assumption. 
> Since CR ballots can be used as input for any rated or ranked method,
> they invite the possibility of lawsuits from any group which favors a
> different method, or which simply doesn't like the outcome of a
> particular election.

Kind of like Olympic spectators believing that figure skating medals
should go to the fastest figure skaters.


> 
> Of course the same argument applies to ranked ballots, to a lesser
> degree.

Lesser degree precisely because the possibilities are fewer.

> 
> Bart
> 

I long for the day when the pendulum swings towards this "opposite
assumption" because that will indicate a level of interest and awareness
that we haven't yet begun to approach.

Forest

> 
> > That assumption is tantamount to believing that the only way to use ranked
> > ballots is to give the win to the candidate with the highest average rank
> > (the Borda winner).
> > 
> > Note that CR ballots can be used for head-to-head comparisons
> > (generalizing Condorcet methods).
> > 
> > CR ballots can be used to find the candidate with the highest median
> > rating (generalizing Bucklin).
> > 
> > There are many other uses of CR ballots.  Lorrie Cranor uses CR ballots
> > as input for her Declared Strategy Voting (DSV) methods.
> >