[EM] The only strategy an Approval voter needs to know:

Donald Davison donald at mich.com
Thu Aug 7 03:45:02 PDT 2003


The only strategy an Approval voter needs to know:

Dear John B. Hodges,

You wrote: "The argument loses its force if there are simple strategies
that generate good results.  I'm satisfied that there are such strategies
for Approval."

Donald here:  You are correct, there is a simple strategy that will
generate good results.

That strategy is for a voter to `bullet vote' his most preferred choice.

If and when a jurisdiction ever makes the mistake of voting into law any of
the Low Choice Methods like Approval, Condorcet, or Borda, fear not, the
voters of the major two parties will be able to destroy it at the ballot
box by simply voting only their most preferred choice.  Approval will
become Plurality.

The success of Approval depends on the people making the foolish mistake of
voting more than one candidate.  Approval is a deceptive method.

If the third party voters do make more than one vote, then Approval will
become Irving.

In any event the best strategy to follow is to only make one choice and not
help other candidates with your lower choices.  Let the other voters make
the mistake of helping your most preferred choice.

Donald,





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