[EM] Use a turkey filter

[Anthony Duff]

I think the turkey issue is a real problem for
condorcet and approval.  A simple solution is to
filter out the turkeys before they get on the ballot.

 --- Adam Tarr <atarr at purdue.edu> wrote: 
> 
> That said, I have argued in both my recent messages
> that it's pretty 
> ridiculous to expect a candidate with
> undifferentiated opinions to get a 
> vote, even a lower place vote, from nearly the
> entire electorate.  People 
> are not so easily duped, especially when the leaders
> of the political 
> factions would be advising them to not cast a vote
> for Mr. anonymous in 
> these situations.
> 
> -Adam

I don’t think it is ridiculous at all, it is in fact a
probable outcome.

Consider the Australian example.  Ballots are ranked. 
Equal rankings are not allowed, except that truncation
sometimes is.  The count is conducted by IRV, not
Condorcet, but I argue that that is nearly irrelevant
– the masses are fully occupied , 1st, with decided
which candidate they will prefer, and 2nd, with
following the instructions on how to complete their
ballots.  Few enough understand the mechanics of vote
counting, let alone analyse it.


A typical result is (seen often enough during the
physical sorting of ballots):

45% left>centrist>right
5% centrist>left?right
45% right>centrist<left
various other candidates randomly interspersed.

The centrist candidate is arguably a turkey who is
eliminated by IRV but who would win under Condorcet.

The important factor that leads to the above voting
pattern is not a rational strategy, but the
psychological urge to put your favourite’s most
serious opponent *LAST*.  After all, the elector's
favourite will have been most lengthily denouncing
that main opponent.  Some other candidate will find
themselves last an anyone’s ballot only if they are
seriously repugnant.   


I believe the solution to the turkey problem best
solved by filtering out turkeys before they even get
on the ballot.  A good way to do this is to require a
significant number of nominations to get onto the
ballot.  Perhaps a number somewhere between 1% and 5%
of eligible electors would be appropriate.

Such a turkey filter would have associated benefits. 
The number of candidates would be kept small, and so
the ballot could be kept simple and small.  It would
also be feasible for the media to pay reasonable
attention to every candidate.  It could even happen
that most electors might know who all the candidates
are before reading their names on the ballot!

Anthony


http://mobile.yahoo.com.au - Yahoo! Mobile
- Check & compose your email via SMS on your Telstra or Vodafone mobile.