[EM] Question on RCV/IRV multi-seat method used in Minneapolis

[Kathy Dopp]

Ralph,

Thank you.

Wow. I just realized - What an absolute arithmetic complicated mess or
arbitrarily unfair system this will be whenever the third choice votes
of voters must be transferred in this same split-vote manner.

Has anyone described the mathematical formulas for transferring excess
votes above the threshold amounts by using a mathematical system that
accurately reflects all voters rankings or has this only been done by
using the arbitrary unfair (inaccurate) random selection of ballots
method when it comes to using voters' third or lower rankings in these
multi-seat elections?

Kathy

On Tue, Sep 23, 2008 at 10:52 AM, Raph Frank <raphfrk at gmail.com> wrote:
> On 9/23/08, Kathy Dopp <kathy.dopp at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Does anyone know of another election scheme that allows for the split
>>  of a vote into fractions?  Do other jurisdictions with IRV use
>>  fractions to transfer surplus votes over a threshold amount, other
>>  than Minneapolis?
>>
>
> I am not sure exactly what you are asking here, all STV systems have
> some way of fractionally transfering the surplus.
>
> In Ireland, for the Dail, the votes to transfer is determined randomly.
>
> However, it is based on the next choice on each ballot.
>
> So, assume a candidate obtained 11,000 votes and there was a quota of 10,000.
>
> The ballots would then be divided into piles based on the next choice.
>  It might work out as
>
> Pile A) 1230
> Pile B) 6120
> Pile C) 2650
>
> Surplus 1000
>
> Randomly, 123 ballots would be picked from pile A, 612 from pile B and
> 265 from pile C.
>
> This means that even though they are random, the first transfer is
> accurate to a single ballot.
>
> - Re-reading your original post, I think the Seanad rules in Ireland
> might be what you are looking for.
>
> Each voter effectively casts 1000 votes.  This allows fractional
> transfers accurate to 1/1000th of a vote.
>



-- 

Kathy Dopp

The material expressed herein is the informed product of the author
Kathy Dopp's fact-finding and investigative efforts. Dopp is a
Mathematician, Expert in election audit mathematics and procedures; in
exit poll discrepancy analysis; and can be reached at

P.O. Box 680192
Park City, UT 84068
phone 435-658-4657

http://utahcountvotes.org
http://electionmathematics.org
http://electionarchive.org

How to Audit Election Outcome Accuracy
http://electionarchive.org/ucvAnalysis/US/paper-audits/VoteCountAuditBillRequest.pdf

History of Confidence Election Auditing Development & Overview of
Election Auditing Fundamentals
http://electionarchive.org/ucvAnalysis/US/paper-audits/History-of-Election-Auditing-Development.pdf

Voters Have Reason to Worry
http://utahcountvotes.org/UT/UtahCountVotes-ThadHall-Response.pdf