[EM] [CES #4194] Re: The Occupy Movement: A Ray of Hope -- in Politics

[Leon Smith]

I suppose the existence of this group is worth noting:

http://reformact.org/

They were a little naive about election methods at first,  advocating
Instant Runoff,  but they have been receptive and are now open for
debate,  though they seem to be tentatively arguing for Condorcet.
And they take a comprehensive look at electoral reform,  not just
method.

Best,
Leon

On Sun, Dec 11, 2011 at 11:14 AM, Dave Ketchum <davek at clarityconnect.com> wrote:
> I am delighted to hear of this valuable activity.  A couple notes:
>      .  "local, state, federal and global levels" are Open_voting_network
> topics. All except global are important in the US in 2012 as a year in which
> serious activity is possible - within the framework of current laws, but
> without depending on instantly changing the laws..
>      .  "primary" is a word used here.  It is different from the "primary
> elections" used in the US - they are used by parties to cope with the needs
> of plurality voting.
>      .  Among the possibilities would be such as destructive competition
> between Occupy-backing candidates in the Green and Libertarian parties - if
> they split the votes of Occupy backers and thus each lost.
>
> On Dec 11, 2011, at 1:42 AM, Michael Allan wrote:
>
> Dave Ketchum wrote:
>
> Write-ins can be effective.  I hold up proof this year.  For
>
> a supervisor race:
>
>  111 Rep - Joe - on the ballot from winning primary, though not
>
>            campaigning.
>
>  346 Con - Darlene - running as Con though unable to run as Rep+Con.
>
>  540 Write-in - Bob - who gets the votes with his campaign starting
>
>                 18 days before election day.
>
>
> We're floating the idea within Occupy of a primary voting network that
> might help by giving independents a leg up.  It would extend not only
> across and beyond parties, but also across any number of voting
> methods and service providers: (see also the discussion tab here)
> https://wiki.occupy.net/wiki/User:Michael_Allan/RFC/Open_voting_network
>
> It's not easy to summarize, but maybe easier from the voter's POV:
>
>   We won't endorse any single provider (monopoly) of primary voting
>   and consensus making services.  Instead we'll maintain an open
>   voting network (counter-monopoly) in which: (1) no person is
>   excluded from participating in the development of alternative
>   technologies and methodologies of consensus making; (2) no toolset,
>   platform or practice is excluded; and (3) each person may freely
>   choose a provider, toolset and practices based on personal needs
>   and preferences without thereby becoming isolated from participants
>   who make different choices.
>
> None of this is especially difficult (not technically), but it's hard
> to imagine how it could ever get started without Occupy.
>
> --
> Michael Allan
>
> Toronto, +1 416-699-9528
> http://zelea.com/
>
> Dave Ketchum wrote: ...