[EM] Why the concept of "sincere" votes in Range is flawed.

[Juho Laatu]

One approach to sincerity is to compare voter behaviour to the requested behaviour. In Approval if the request is to mark all candidates that one approves then placing the cutoff between two main candidates is often insincere.. Approval is a special method from this point of view since it is often described as requiring the voter to plan what is the best strategic vote (where to put the cutoff).

Another interesting case is Range. If one requests the voters to mark their utilities then sincere voting might be rare since strategic exaggeration is practically always available and an efficient strategy. One can describe Range also as "Approval with ability to cast weak votes". In this case it could be as sincere as Approval.

I think these two Range description styles actually refer to two different methods although the voting and vote counting procedures are technically the same.

Also possible request to normalize one's vote vs. to just mark sincere utilities makes a difference in Range.

In summary, Approval is close to being a method where voters are expected to vote strategically, and therefore voters need not be insincere when doing so. In most methods (and environments) any deviation from one's sincere opinion in order to win in the election should however be classified as insincerity (and as unwanted strategic voting).

Juho



--- On Wed, 26/11/08, Kevin Venzke <stepjak at yahoo.fr> wrote:

> From: Kevin Venzke <stepjak at yahoo.fr>
> Subject: Re: [EM] Why the concept of "sincere" votes in Range is flawed.
> To: election-methods at electorama.com
> Date: Wednesday, 26 November, 2008, 6:45 AM
> Hello,
> 
> --- En date de : Mar 25.11.08, Abd ul-Rahman Lomax
> <abd at lomaxdesign.com> a écrit :
> > What Approval sincerely represents from a voter is a
> > *decision* as to where to place an Approval cutoff.
> 
> But is it not true that what *all* methods sincerely
> represent from a
> voter are the decisions related to voting under that
> method?
> 
> If a decision makes sense in a given context, then that is
> a sincere 
> decision. Is that not your stance?
> 
> Kevin Venzke
> 
> 
>       
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