[EM] Cycles and Stubborn (but rational) Voters

[Dave Ketchum]

On Sat, 11 Oct 2003 19:26:38 +0200 (CEST) Kevin Venzke wrote:

> Alex,
> 
> I hope I understood what you meant.  When you say that the three candidates
> each have "well-defined stances on a variety of issues," I believe you're only
> saying that to make it clear that the voters are rational in holding cyclic
> preferences.
> 
> I have two thoughts.  For a candidate to become the CW, he needs to be able
> to move on the spectrum.  But if it's not possible for the three candidates to
> move, because there are only a few, well-defined positions that can be taken
> on the issue(s), then it's hopeless.  A candidate needs to have some other
> currency to offer.  He needs another dimension on the spectrum to allow him
> to move towards the voter median.

I have trouble making sense of this paragraph.  Presumably there was a campaign 
period before the election, that could have used polling to polish positions.  
Likewise, if there is a runoff, there is a similar campaign period before this 
election.

However, a candidate changing positions during the election itself makes no sense - 
and, if one can, the others should have the same right.  This has simply extended 
the campaign period.

Thus, when you finally get to the true election a cycle or other form of tie or 
near tie has to be possible and the response has to be based on that result, 
rather than pretending you can start over.
> 
> Suppose the only issue is what sort of film to watch: drama, comedy, or documentary.
> A candidate stands for each.  None of them can become the CW unless they can also
> make an issue of what to eat afterwards, let's say, or who gets to sit next to whom,
> or who will not be invited next time if they don't submit.
> 
See the above.

> My other thought is to use Approval: Make every voter decide, secretly, with
> the results revealed simultaneously, whether they insist on their favorite, or
> insist against their least favorite.

On a day when Condorcet managed a cycle, Approval might not, increasing the wish for 
Approval.  BUT, make Approval the standard and Condorcet could start looking better.
> 
> But if there really are only three voters, this won't work either.  Roll dice, or 
> introduce another issue (the reason we don't see many cyclic ties in legislatures).
> 
Again, introducing another issue would be simply extending the campaign period.

Dice are one true possibility.
> 
> Kevin Venzke
> stepjak at yahoo.fr

-- 
  davek at clarityconnect.com    people.clarityconnect.com/webpages3/davek
  Dave Ketchum   108 Halstead Ave, Owego, NY  13827-1708   607-687-5026
            Do to no one what you would not want done to you.
                  If you want peace, work for justice.