[Election-Methods] IRV ballot is at least as fair as FPTP ballot

[Abd ul-Rahman Lomax]

At 12:29 AM 5/4/2008, Kathy Dopp wrote:
>However, even despite some voters using strategy because they realize
>that IRV fundamentally does not work the way it is intended to, you
>will undoubtedly find ample number of cases of candidates "winning"
>elections who were not preferred by most voters.

Actually, in the majority of RCV elections that have been held 
recently in the U.S., elections were won by a candidate who was 
*opposed* by a majority of voters; that is, they voted for someone 
else, not for the winner. Generally, IRV is replacing top-two runoff, 
but, by not allowing (and, for those who show up to vote in the 
runoff, highly suggesting) a specific choice, it is failing to find 
majorities, more often than not.

I found, studying top-two runoffs in San Francisco and elsewhere 
prior to the use of RCV, that about one-third of elections were 
reversing the first round result: the runner-up in the first round 
beat the first round leader in the runoff. However, with IRV and, 
what, something like thirty elections, not one example where the 
ranking changed in the virtual runoff compared to the first round. 
IRV is essentially implementing plurality.

Contrary to how it is being sold.

Yes, in theory, it fixes the spoiler effect, at least the first-order 
effect, the one that takes place in a two party system where the 
third party candidate can't win. But the IRV nasties show up if the 
third party gets uppity, it can return with a vengeance.

Much, much simpler: just count all the votes. Simple. No changes to 
equipment. Ballots can stay basically the same, slight change in 
instructions. Most voters will vote the same way.

But third party supporters will not fail to notice that they would 
now be able to vote for their favorite and, at the same time, vote 
for a frontrunner.

No, it's not a perfect system. But it's Approval Voting, and it is a 
*very* good system. And to get it, we simply have to stop discarding 
and disregarding ballots where the voter voted for more than N in an 
N-winner election. Just count the votes.

Bumper sticker?