[EM] I hit upon why rating is easier than ranking.

[Kevin Venzke]

Hi,

So, not everybody knows that you can have equal ranking and truncation in
rank methods. But how about this idea that the default rating in Range
ought to be mid-range (i.e. half an approval)? Is this defensible? It
seems to me you'd get write-ins winning much of the time.

Or, if write-ins aren't allowed to profit from this rule, I have to ask
why you should have this half-vote privilege just for getting your name
on the ballot...? Is the assumption that if people had the opportunity
to learn about you, you must have some merit, even if the voters didn't
bother? Or would the write-in restriction just be a kludge to prevent
total chaos?

Kevin Venzke