[EM] Democracy Chronicles, introductions - Michael Allan

[Adrian Tawfik]

Mr. Allan and colleagues,
I have posted here a draft of Mr. Allan's interview article with an introduction written by me.
If you have any questions, comments or edits please let me know.   Mr. Allan, if you have any pictures
you would like to include please let me know.  Mr. Fobes interview should be finished and 
posted on Democracy Chronicles soon.  Thank you again for your help. 

The article will look like this:

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Election Method Reformer Seeks Radical Changes
Can a More Direct Form of Democracy be Built in Canada or the US?

In continuation of Democracy Chronicles' series of interviews with prominent members involved
with "The Declaration of Election-Method Reform Advocates", we now turn to our first 
internationally based election method expert, Michael Allan an independent software 
engineer (LINK).  Toronto based Michael Allan is an important member of the unique online 
forum of election-method experts where fascinating discussions of democratic reform are 
taking place(LINK).   He is also one of the members of the forum who has not signed the 
Declaration for reasons he explains below. 

Mr. Allan works in collaborative and social media through his website Zelea.com.  He also
is a main contributor at the Votorola website that builds "social software in support of 
non-party primary elections and public rule making" (LINK).  Mr. Allan works with his collegues
at Votorola to "develop the tools to enable a radically free democracy based on unrestricted 
voting, drafting and discussion." The website supports a wide range of fascinating activity 
"everything from voter registration in electoral districts to consensus making" and has
produced original voting technology not seen anywhere else.


Interview With Michael Allan:

DEMOCRACY CHRONICLES: You have not signed the Declaration,
why? 
 
Mr. Allan:  Unfortunately the proposed reforms do not address what I
consider the most important requirements, namely that the elector must
actually have a vote, and the vote must have a meaningful effect.
 
DEMOCRACY CHRONICLES:Briefly explain what characteristics you
think are most important for a voting method to have?
 
Mr. Allan: 

(a) The elector must actually have a vote in the sense of
its form and content being under the elector's control at all times, much as ones voice is under ones control, for example.  Neither the traditional methods of voting nor
the proposed reforms meet this requirement.  In both cases the form of the vote is prescribed by force and the vote itself
is withheld for long periods.  Most
crucially it is withheld during those periods in which electoral decisions are
made, which is always well before the ballots are printed.
 
(b) The vote must have some meaningful effect in the real
world.  In particular it ought to afford
a reasonable possibility of influencing the outcome of the election.  Again, neither the traditional methods nor
the proposed reforms meet this requirement.  In both cases ones vote has no effect whatsoever on the outcome of the
election.
 
DEMOCRACY CHRONICLES:What do you think is the most important
election reform needed where you live (either locally or nationally)?  Why is this reform important?
 
Mr. Allan:  I think the most important requirement is that the elector must
actually have a vote.  Gaining control of the vote would give our
electors immediate influence over the elections; that's one thing.  In due course, it would also open the
possibility of voting on laws and other norms, which would entail efforts at reaching
consensus or mutual understanding on the shape of society.
 
With that, we would arrive at the possibility of
political freedom.
 
DEMOCRACY CHRONICLES:What is your opinion on other aspects of
election reform such as reforming money's role in politics or redistricting (particularly
in the US but very interested as well concerning election reforms
internationally)?
 
Mr. Allan:  In my opinion, if we each possess a vote with an
effect, then there is little opportunity for money and/or gerrymandering to
fill that role.  Those forces come into
play only because the voter (as such) is absent from the decision process,
which again is one that unfolds well before the ballots are printed.
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