[EM] just to let you know ...

[robert bristow-johnson]

Terry and i agree on many things and I am convinced we have a common goal: fair elections that represent the will of the electorate and do not penalize voters for voting non-strategically.  and we agree that the first-past-the-pole (with delayed runoff if no one exceeds 40%) is no good, worse than the IRV that was passed in 2005 and used twice since.

Terry, we *do* disagree about some things.  factually, it is *not* just Republicans.  there are many, many Democrats that have joined that "One Person, One Vote" group and, Terry, if IRV is repealed this March, it's gonna be because the number of Democrats on that side have been underestimated and not taken seriously.

I am against the repeal.  I hope it loses, but only by a whisker.  If IRV is retained by a great margin, that will reassure IRV proponents that there is nothing wrong with it and the pathologies will likely be repeated in future elections.  but if it survives by just a hair, then maybe the IRV proponents will get the message.  and maybe in 2011 we can replace it with Condorcet.


--

r b-j                  rbj at audioimagination.com

"Imagination is more important than knowledge."



-----Original Message-----
From: "Terry Bouricius" [terryb at burlingtontelecom.net]
Date: 01/06/2010 10:24
To: "EM" <election-methods at lists.electorama.com>, "robert bristow-johnson" <rbj at audioimagination.com>
Subject: Re: [EM] just to let you know ...

The key fact to understand about the situation in Burlington, is that the 
proposal for the repeal of IRV would replace it with a plurality system. A 
candidate could win with 40% of the vote. If no candidate reaches 40% 
there would be a runoff election.

Robert Bristow-Johnson and I did a little poking around to see if we could 
spark any interest in Condorcet as a better way to go, but the folks 
pushing for repeal of IRV are mainly Republicans who believe that a 40% 
plurality rule is their best chance of winning the mayor's office, and 
have no interest in principles of majority, let alone Condorcet winners.

Terry Bouricius

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "robert bristow-johnson" <rbj at audioimagination.com>
To: "EM" <election-methods at lists.electorama.com>
Sent: Tuesday, January 05, 2010 11:28 PM
Subject: [EM] just to let you know ...



... that the anti-IRV folks in Burlington Vermont have now officially
submitted more than sufficient number of signatures to put an IRV
repeal question on the Town Meeting ballot this coming March.

Both sparks and a little bit of fecal matter is gonna fly in all
directions now.  One of blogs is at http://7d.blogs.com/blurt/2009/12/
burlington-residents-seek-repeal-of-instant-runoff-voting.html .

Whereas the discussion here is largely academic, in the town of my
residence, it's gonna get real.

Feel free to jump in (hopefully with pertinent facts) even if you're
outa town.

--

r b-j                  rbj at audioimagination.com

"Imagination is more important than knowledge."




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