[EM] Bad Condorcet winners?

MIKE OSSIPOFF nkklrp at hotmail.com
Fri Mar 16 17:15:24 PST 2001



> > Votes             Candidate (rating)
> > -----     ---------------------------------
> >  49%       A(10)                 B(1)  C(0)
> >   3%       B(10)  A(9)                 C(0)
> >  48%       C(10)                 B(1)  A(0)
>
>This shows an example where Condorcet demands more care from voters in 
>lower
>rankings.
>Voters for A and C should simply bullet vote if they hate the centrist.
>They can also consider between the centrist and the opposite party which
>they prefer if their candidate can't win.
>Many voters might choose the opposite party if they were being thoughtful.
>
>In Condorcet, this should be: A=49, C=48, BA=3.
>Then A is Condorcet candidate.
>
>If they're really worried about B: AC=49, CA=48, BA=3.
>This more powerfully resists the centrist.

That's very commendable, the principled refusable to vote for a sleazy
candidate calling himself a centrist. I always refuse to vote for him.

But so what? Voters are known to vote for him anyway. Look at Clinton's
& Gore's nonpositional disutility (and positional disutility for
progressives). It's a question of whether they're going to vote
for MiddleSleaze in 1st place, or for their favorite. That's the
real question in actual elections. Let's not make them make that
choice. That's why I advocate Condorcet & Approval.

Mike Ossipoff

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