[EM] Slashdot: An Analysis of Various Election Methods

[bql at bolson.org]

On Sun, 3 Oct 2004, Bart Ingles wrote:

> I started out on this list in 1998 as an IRV supporter, but now see it as a 
> step in the wrong direction.  Back then I believed IRV had properties I 
> considered important (e.g. resistance to low-utility winners in worst-case 
> scenarios), but have long since learned that I was mistaken.  Thus it turns 
> out that my support was due to ignorance.

I don't think IRV is a step in the wrong direction. It's still vastly 
superior to the present single vote system. It solves the simple problems 
correctly, like any of the systems we consider do. It's just all those 
"interesting" problems we like to conjure up that trip things.

When it eventually comes to getting these things implemented, my 
compromise solution is to propose a law that allows the elections official 
(county clerk, secretary of state, etc.) to chose from a list of approved 
methods. In exchange for a little "chaos" I think we'll get definitive 
practical results with none of the results being terribly bad (and there's 
always recall elections if someone truly suckful does somehow get 
elected).

Brian Olson
http://bolson.org/