[EM] Ranked choice ballots

[Dave Ketchum]

Just trying for some sense.

Some seem to support voters indicating up to three choices, first, second, 
and third, with the ballot laid out as if there were three races with 
identical sets of candidates.

Seems workable, since voters only rarely want to order more than three 
candidates:
      Favorite among expectable winners, and not even a second choice.
      Favorite third party, plus above as second.
      Something more complex - rarely worth bothering.

I propose a ballot looking just like plurality would use to let voters 
mark an "X" for one candidate.  Here voters could rank as many of the 
candidates as they chose:
      Either 0-9 or A-Z would be permitted, but not a mixture unless you 
can sort out 01 vs OI.  0 and A are first choice.
      Gaps permitted - simply sort in order.
      Duplicates permitted - indicate same rank.

Mine allows 26 candidate ranks of one or more candidates for each - more 
than there is believable need for.  Simple voters can mark one "X" with 
little pain.  No harm if they leave gaps as they edit the order.  Giving 
candidates same rank permitted with little effort.
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Comments here about: [EM] Re: "Implied ranked choice" method

Agree with Rob Brown that there can be more candidates on the ballot - 
even that someone may realize that primaries have little or no value here.

DO NOT agree that voters need to know much - voters only need to know the 
one to three (maybe more, but usually only for gluttons for punishment) 
that they wish to rank.

Ballot I propose above is not complex to the voter - not even especially 
complex to the vote counting.

Bob claims to simplify by attaching a set of second choice candidates to 
each first choice.  Actually does NOT simplify, since voter must know each 
pair of candidates offered - and may not get offered the pair that voter 
would choose.

I read of voice interfaces and other complexities - still like what I 
write above.--
  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.