[EM] (no subject)

[robert bristow-johnson]

On Nov 1, 2009, at 8:28 PM, Raph Frank wrote:


> I made an attempt to create a basic explanation on an earlier post  
> to this list:
>
> http://www.mail-archive.com/election-methods@lists.electorama.com/ 
> msg04195.html
>


which says:


> One of the hardest parts about PR-STV is actually explaining it.  
> Anyway, this was an approach I was thinking of. I think it hits the  
> main points by covering the reasons rather than the detailed maths.  
> Most people in PR-STV countries understand the method, as they  
> experience it from a voter's perspective, rather than a counter's  
> perspective.
>
> PR-STV is based on 4 main principles:
> 1) Each voter gets 1 vote and they can vote for any candidate they  
> want.
>  ** All votes are equal. **
> 2) The 5 candidates who get the most votes get a seat. I am  
> assuming 5 seats are to be filled, but the system works for any  
> number.
> 3) If you vote for a losing candidate, your vote is transferred to  
> your next choice This reason for this rule is is so that you can  
> safely give your first choice to your favourite even if he is a  
> weak candidate. If he doesn't win, your vote will be transferred to  
> your next highest choice, until it gets to a candidate who can win  
> a seat.
>  ** Voting for a weak candidate doesn't mean you are "throwing your  
> vote away". **
> 4) If you vote for a candidate who gets more votes than he needs,  
> the surplus is transferred to your next choice.
>

whose *ballot* gets their vote transferred?  it shouldn't matter in  
which order the counting is.  if my ballot is needed to give the  
candidate what he needs, and your ballot isn't needed, then you got  
to influence the election of your next choice, but i did not.  that  
can't be fair.

--

r b-j                  rbj at audioimagination.com

"Imagination is more important than knowledge."