[EM] Ventura

Alex Small asmall at physics.ucsb.edu
Mon Apr 29 13:47:44 PDT 2002


Demorep-

I agree that MN should have used a different election method, so that
whoever their governor might be he can claim more than 37%% support.
However, calling Ventura's election a "subversion of democracy" seems to
imply that he shouldn't have taken office.  If somebody fails to get a
majority in our plurality system should he say "Nope, I'm not taking
office, that wouldn't be right, even though I won the election according to
law"?  Who SHOULD take office?

Obviously the best solution is to use a better election method.  However,
until we have a method that enables people to express more info, be it
number voting, approval variants, or whatever, the only info we have to
work with is the plurality totals.  Better that than nothing.  It beats
electing the guy who came in second in the plurality race (assuming we have
no other info, since obviously other info might show the #2 to be more
approved or whatever).

Of course, if you'd prefer that the plurality of the popular vote not
prevail we can always use the Electoral College ;)  (just joking, and yes,
I know how many people have died at the hands of dictators)

Alex

----
For more information about this list (subscribe, unsubscribe, FAQ, etc), 
please see http://www.eskimo.com/~robla/em



More information about the Election-Methods mailing list