[EM] Re: Two definiltions of strategy

[MIKE OSSIPOFF]

Ernie--

Yes, the distinction between strategic voting and voting strategy is a good 
one. Definition 1 is strategic voting, and definition 2 is voting strategy.

Regarding strategic voting,

You wrote:

"When a voter self-consciously marks a ballot in a manner inconsistent
with their actual preferences, in the hope of optimizing the outcome."

I reply:

Yes, but what about Approval? Strategic Approval voting isn't (except in 
very implausible conditinos) inconsistent with actual preferences, in the 
sense of contradicting some of them. But of course it might not (ususally 
doesn't) vote all of the voter's preferences.

One could then say "Voting in a way that doesn't vote all the voter's 
preference, for the purpose of optimizing the outcome".

But then sincere Plurality voting is strategic voting.

Maybe "Voting in a way that doesn't vote all the voter's preferences when 
the method would allow them to all be voted, for the purpose of optimizing 
the outcome."

But then there's no such thing as a strategic vote in Plurality or Approval.

Or "Voting in a way that falsifies a preference or fails to vote a 
preference that the balloting system in use would have allowed the ballot to 
vote in addition to the preferences that it actually did vote, for the 
purpose of optimizing the outcome."

By my definiltion of sincere voting, that's the same as saying: "Insincere 
votng for the purpose of otpimizing the outcome."

But then there's still no such thing as strategic voting in Approval (except 
in those very implausible conditions that I mentioned).

So that's why I wrote definition #1 as I did. It was the only way that I 
found to define strategic voting in a way that had  the consequences that I 
expect a strategic voting definition to have.

Mike Ossipoff

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