[EM] BS (Borda System)

[MIKE OSSIPOFF]

I thought we laid BS to rest last year, when we discussed Saari's
claims at great length.

Though these things can only be a matter of opinion, I'd say there's
a good case for saying that, if everyone were always honest and
interested only in sincerely expressing their preferences to help
the voting system find the greatest good for the greatest number, then
Borda, under those nonexistent conditions, might very well be the
rank count that we'd want.

For actual public political elections,
BS's faults are so extreme, and so flagrant, that BS isn't in any
way a serious rival to Approval & Condorcet. For that reason it
doesn't seem a worthwhile use of time to argue BS's merits, or rather
its lack of merit.

Of course, as IRV proves, complete lack of merit doesn't prevent
a lousy voting system from being a problem that must be dealt with.
But there's no big misguided movement for Borda, as there is for IRV.

Mike Ossipoff



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