[Election-Methods] Approval far ahead in Internet poll

[Michael Ossipoff]

Most on EM would agree that all or nearly all of the methods proposed here 
are adequate, would be a significant improvement if enacted. When there are 
plenty of good proposals, the choice between them should be based on 
winnability. Of course polling should be done in any particular jurisdiction 
where a proposal is intended. But it’s of interest to ask people at large 
about which methods they’d accept, just to get a general idea of 
winnability.

Some of us have conducted an Internet  poll on voting systems. We polled 
people who aren’t familiar with the subject. They, after all, are the ones 
whose opinion will determine whether a method proposal is enacted. So we 
asked about a few good methods that seemed especially winnable. Approval was 
the big winner, with about 50% higher score than the mean, and 44% higher 
score than the runner-up.

Admittedly there have so far been only 7 voters in that poll.  70 people 
have participated in our ‘08 presidential poll, with Paul and Kucinich 
leading.

Why report a voting system poll with so few voters? Because there are so few 
polls asking the public which voting systems they'd accept that even such a 
low-participation poll can be of interest and use.

Mike Ossipoff