[EM] Hello (Intro); PR......

[James Gilmour]

> Kevin wrote (in part)
>
> Is it wise to permit independent candidates to run?

Why would you want to put artificial constraints on democratic representation?


> I still don't think STV (etc.) can improve PR.  To run
> on the party list, candidates will need to conform to
> their parties.  They will not be able to individually
> campaign, because nobody will see the need to spend
> money on such campaigns.  They will be elected or not
> elected solely based on party affiliation.  Am I
> wrong?

Yes, very wrong so far as STV-PR is concerned.  The whole point about STV-PR is
that, uniquely among PR systems, it allows the electors to vote for all the
candidates as individuals.  So it is the voters who decide which candidates take
the seats.

If the voters want, they can vote by party. But if the voters are motivated to
vote on some other criteria that cut across parties, then the PR will be of those
criteria - because that is what the voters wanted.  There is more - much more - to
PR than just PR of political parties.

James


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