[EM] IRV counting with integers to handle multiple candidates at the same preference level

[Kristofer Munsterhjelm]

On 27.01.2022 02:45, Richard, the VoteFair guy wrote:
> I'd like to stop the misconception that IRV -- instant runoff voting,
> also called "single-winner ranked choice voting" -- cannot allow a voter
> to mark two or more candidates at the same preference level.
> 
> In particular, it's ridiculous that the FairVote organization promotes
> the practice of tossing out a ballot when the counting reaches a
> preference level where the voter has marked more than one candidate.
> 
> Although such shared preference levels are easy to handle using
> fractions or decimals, that violates the common legal requirement that
> votes be allocated to candidates in "whole" numbers.
> 
> Instead it can be done using only integers.  It just involves
> "grouping."  Here's how:

This seems to be using fractional rank, i.e. that if you vote A=B, your
vote should count a half for A and a half for B.

Electowiki has some other alternatives. One is "equal vote without
elimination support" (my wording) which is basically this: A vote of the
type A=B does neither counts toward A or B as long as both are in the
race. As long as all candidates ranked equally, but one, are eliminated,
the ballot then counts maximally for the remaining candidate.

The idea, I think, is that if you express A=B>C on an IRV ballot, that
would be interpreted as you having no opinion of whether A or B
continues on, as long as one of them does. So you don't mind B being
eliminated if IRV then counts you as supporting A.

Such an approach would need no division at all and sidestep the problem
entirely :-)

-km