[EM] Why I think IRV isn't a serious alternative

[Bob Richard]

James Gilmour wrote:

 > I had always assumed this list was focused so strongly
 > on single-winner voting systems because there are
 > so many important single-office (hence single-winner)
 > elections in the USA.

That's an important part of the explanation, James, but only one part. 
Social choice theory, which informs much of the discussion here, isn't 
directly relevant to PR. The problem to be solved is taken to be making 
a (single) decision. While forming a legislative body could, in 
principle, be analyzed as making a (single) decision, it rarely is. Even 
the best examples of the social choice literature tend to relegate PR to 
a single chapter in a section on miscellaneous topics at the back of the 
book. See, as just one example, Tideman's "Collective Decisions and 
Voting", chapter 15.

--Bob Richard

> Kristofer Munsterhjelm > Sent: Tuesday, November 25, 2008 5:41 PM
>> If IRV does elect the true Condorcet winner in all realistic elections
>> (as opposed to the CW according to strategic ballots), and the
>> Australian two-party (two and a third?) dominance arises from IRV, then
>> that means that any Condorcet single-round single winner method will
>> lead to two party dominance. That would be unfortunate. Of course, if it
>> is the truth, no matter how unfortunate it is, it'll still be the truth;
>> and in that case we should focus on multiwinner elections and
>> PR instead.
>
> Whether or not Condorcet single-round single-winner elections have the 
> effect suggested, all assemblies (city councils, state and
> federal legislatures, parliaments) should be elected by multi-winner 
> PR voting systems. That is the only way to ensure that these
> "representative" bodies are truly representative of those who voted in 
> the respective elections.
>
> I had always assumed this list was focused so strongly on 
> single-winner voting systems because there are so many important
> single-office (hence single-winner) elections in the USA.
>
> James
> No virus found in this outgoing message.
> Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com
> Version: 8.0.175 / Virus Database: 270.9.10/1811 - Release Date: 
> 25/11/2008 08:29
>
>
> ----
> Election-Methods mailing list - see http://electorama.com/em for list info
>


-- 
Bob Richard
Marin Ranked Voting
P.O. Box 235
Kentfield, CA 94914-0235
415-256-9393
http://www.marinrankedvoting.org

-- 
Bob Richard
Marin Ranked Voting
P.O. Box 235
Kentfield, CA 94914-0235
415-256-9393
http://www.marinrankedvoting.org