[EM] The matter of whether people strategize

[Bart Ingles]

Anthony Duff wrote:
> 
>  --- MIKE OSSIPOFF <nkklrp at hotmail.com> wrote: >
>
> > I've been told by several Australians that it's common for voters
> > there, in
> > IRV, to vote someone other than their favorite in 1st place, so as
> > not to
> > "waste [their] vote".
> >
> I'll tell that it is not common, despite what some individuals may
> say.  Further, I can't see why anyone would ever not vote for their
> favourite under IRV.
> 
> Perhaps, this could be an explanation of where this story came from.
> 
> Most people do not understand how the vote counting works, because
> they simply do not know how it works.  Those who don't understand are
> probably inclined to vote for their favourite realistic candidate, to
> keep it simple, to be safe.  These people may find themselves being
> urged, against their initial inclination, to vote for their longshot
> favourite ahead of their realistic favourite.

I would have guessed that most of this (supporting of established
favorites) happens behind the scenes, with party bigwigs and donors
backing the top two as they do in the U.S. (in some cases, backing both
parties simultaneously).  And also the candidates themselves, as minor
candidates voluntarily drop out in order to keep from cannibalizing
one's own party.

On the other hand, I actually met an Australian lady who said that she
regularly voted for minor candidates whom she didn't even like, just to
keep her favorite major-party representative from getting too full of
himself.

Bart