[EM] PR-STV with approval based elimination

[Raph Frank]

On Fri, May 1, 2009 at 8:27 PM, Kristofer Munsterhjelm
<km-elmet at broadpark.no> wrote:
> The problem in using any other method than Plurality for counting the votes
> in an STV method is that of elimination. If someone votes for A with
> strength 1 and B with strength 0.5, and A wins, then how much do you
> downweight that voter?

However, it is possible to have 2 different methods of calculation for
eliminations and elections.

In the extreme, you could allow voters to show stronger preferences,
where the voter can equal rank but show slight preferences.

A: 1a
B: 1b
C: 2
D: 3a
E: 3b

would be converted to

A>B>C>D>E

for determining who gets elected.

However, if someone needs to be eliminated, then it becomes

A=B>C>D=E

If either A or B is still running, then the it counts as a full vote
for A and B.

Similarly, if A was elected, and B and C were eliminated, then the
remaining voting strength would be applied to D and E, without a
divide by 2.  (but only for determining eliminations).

This still partially maintains later no harm.  Lower ranked candidates
are ignored, however, the method can still look ahead for slight
preferences.