[EM] To Blake, re: strategy

[Bart Ingles]

Blake Cretney wrote:
> 
>    MIKE OSSIPOFF wrote:
> 
>  > I reply:
>  >
>  > Well, I've said that one thing that I don't like about IRV is that
>  > its mathematical strategy is exceptionally difficult, requiring
>  > estimate of many probabilities. Difficulty doesn't mean that people
>  > won't try to guess, of course. Insincere voting is common in
>  > public IRV elections. The fact that it may be erroneous strategy
>  > doesn't seem to make it any better. People are dumping their
>  > favorites, which I don't like, however un-understandable the
>  > strategy is.
> 
> I wonder if anyone can find a newspaper or magazine article or editorial
> that hints at some awareness of strategy in IRV.  I doubt it, although
> I've been wrong before.  Note that parties sometimes have how-to-votes
> that demonstrate vote trading, or an attempt to avoid strong opponents
> in the legislature.  But that's a different issue.


I had the chance to speak to an Australian visitor at a recent local
Libertarian convention.  Her stated reason for liking IRV was that she
was able to rank a sure-to-lose fringe candidate above her favorite, in
order to keep the favorite from taking her vote for granted.

Not exactly a utilitarian strategy, is it?