[Election-Methods] Improved Approval Runoff

[James Gilmour]

Dave Ketchum> Sent: 15 August 2007 22:57
> On most elections many, if not most, voters' preference will be a single 
> candidate.

On what basis do you say that?  Surely it is, to a very great extent, a function of the voting system.  If the voting
system says (directly or indirectly) "pick one winner", then the voter's preference will be one candidate.  It will also
apply when there are only two candidates contesting the seat.


>  Why is this something to fight?

This is not something to "fight", but it seems reasonable to offer the voters a more sensitive voting system so that
those voters who wish can express their preferences more fully, if we can devise such a voting system.

>       One candidate can overshadow the competition.

True, but not always the case.

>       Voters can be loyal to their party.

True, but not always the case.


> For occasional exception elections there will be more interest in voting 
> for multiple candidates, and it is DESIRABLE to support this voting for 
> whichever elections may inspire voter interest in such.

Why would such elections be "exceptional"?  Surely at every election, if the voter knows there is a chance her/his most
preferred candidate may not win, that voter would welcome the opportunity to express one or more additional preferences
among the other candidates that might influence the outcome?


> Fighting complications that make the rules for deciding on winners hard to 
> understand make such complications undesirable unless they provide major 
> benefits.

Avoidable complication is always to be avoided.  If the rules for your "new" voting system are too hard to understand
the electors will not support your proposed reform.

James Gilmour