[EM] Kevin, you wrote on 4 Oct '03

[Donald Davison]

Kevin, you wrote: "Donald, would you support IRV with equal-ranking
permitted, for the case that I have two first-choices and am willing to go
with whichever one has more support from other voters?"

Donald here:  It is not clear as to how much of a vote each rank will be
receiving.

  * If each rank receives one half, then the results of the election will
be the same as if you ranked any one of the two as first and the other
second, so, in which case splitting your vote is not necessary, it merely
makes the math of the method more complicated.

  * But, I suspect that you may mean to give each rank a full vote, both of
which will be included in the first count.  In which case I do not support
equal-ranking, for it is merely a complicated mix of Approval Voting and
Irving.


If you wish to vote as in Approval, all you need to do in any Irving
election is to rank any one of your two candidates as first choice and the
other as second.  Your vote will end up on whichever candidate has more
support from other voters, which is your wish.  Do the math.

If an Approval voter truly regards two candidates as being equal, it will
not matter which is ranked first or second in an Irving election, they both
will have an equal chance to lead the other.  The difference will be
determined by how the other voters treat the two candidates.

You seem to be trying to make something complicated when it does not need
to be complicated.

Donald,