[EM] Voting reform statement - method of consensus drafting

[Michael Allan]

Jameson Quinn wrote:
> I've made this draft statement into a google doc ... Probably we
> should continue to discuss here for a while longer, but feel free to
> also make suggested changes over there...

I want to suggest an alternative method of drafting, one that might
integrate better with the discussion.  Here's a brief demo:

fsimmons at pcc.edu wrote:
> Put Approval Voting here in alphabetical order...
>
> > - Various *Bucklin* or median-based systems such as *Majority
> > Judgment* - Various *Condorcet* systems, including
> > *Condorcet//Approval, various
> > Condorcet//IRV hybrids, Ranked Pairs, *and* Schulze*.
> > - *Range Voting* (aka Score Voting)
> > - *SODA voting*

I agree with Forest and I made the recommended change.  What do you
think Jameson?

  http://zelea.com:8080/v/w/D?a=4637&b=4627#_3.1

[demo off] Here I propose several modifications to Jameson's draft.
These take the form of a composite "text diff" that shows the
differences between his draft and mine, including the particular one I
refer to (3.1).  This method is based on multiple drafts, one per
drafter.  Some of the advantages:

  * Embedding a difference URL in the mailing list helps to focus the
    discussion.  At every step the issue boils down to differences of
    text, so it can only help to make those differences concrete.

  * The discussion remains rooted in the mailing list.  It need not be
    transplanted to another medium, such as Google Docs or wiki talk
    pages.

  * If the discussion leads to agreement, or if the difference happens
    to be trivial, then it can be eliminated by pressing the "Patch"
    button.  This is pretty easy to do (and kind of fun).

  * Or, if agreement fails, then the difference remains standing.  It
    never gets swept aside by the process or buried in the archives,
    but remains as a qualification of any consensus that emerges.

The software isn't beta ready yet, so I doubt anyone will jump in and
start using it full time.  But I do hope a few intelligent people will
play with it and get some ideas.  Here's how to use it:

 1. Visit one of the drafts, such as:
    http://zelea.com/w/User:Jameson.quinn-GmailCom/G/p/vrs

 2. Click on "My position".

    That gives you a draft of your own.  Login under an alias if you
    prefer.  It requires no account.

 3. Go to anybody's draft and click "Diff vs. mine".

    That gives you the full diff.  Use the Patch button to get an
    initial text.

 4. Edit the text, do another diff and post the URL for discussion.

I had hoped to set this up in the Electorama wiki, but its API isn't
functioning.  I left some edits there, and will clean up later.

Please let me know if you encounter any problems, or have questions.
Overall, doesn't this approach make sense?

-- 
Michael Allan

Toronto, +1 416-699-9528
http://zelea.com/