[EM] Approval vs Condorcet

[robert bristow-johnson]

> On 03/24/2024 12:27 PM EDT Closed Limelike Curves <closed.limelike.curves at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> > "The theory of cumulative voting... rests upon a false or fictitious premise. It assumes that the computation of the number of marks placed upon a ballot in favor of a candidate should determine whether he is elected, when in fact the marks are, and can only be, representative of persons possessing certain qualifications [citizens having franchise]. ...
> > The placing of marks upon the ballot is only a method of enumerating persons, ... Our system of government is based upon the doctrine that the majority rules. This does not mean a majority of marks but a majority of persons possessing the necessary qualifications and the number of such persons is ascertained by means of an election ..."
> I look forward to the North Dakota Supreme Court someday choosing to enforce its ruling that only Condorcet voting methods are permissible...
> 

Of course they weren't considering Condorcet.  It was about Bucklin Voting (which was a thing in the early 20th century in some western states in the U.S.), but the funny thing is that Fargo's Approval Voting suffers the same flaw.  They are counting marks, accumulated marks, that each voter might correspond to more than one mark.  I can imagine that some Fargo attorney that doesn't like Approval Voting could start up a lawsuit.  I just dunno if any knows about it.

I told my uncle, a conservative Republican (that I hope is anti-T****, but I hadn't been brave enough to ask him), about this ruling and told him he could find a lawyer to take up a legal case against it that will likely go all the way to the NDSC.  At least get the current NDSC to reverse the old NDSC ruling.  Because, as it is, Approval Voting in Fargo ND appears to violate this 1911 ruling.

> (When was this case decided?)

1911.  There is a reference in my paper.  [Spalding, J. (1911). State of North Dakota ex rel. W.S. Shaw v. Lisle Thompson (concurring opinion). North Dakota Reports, vol. 21, pp. 426-444. (April 20, 1911)](https://cite.case.law/pdf/6056780/State%20ex%20rel.%20Shaw%20v.%20Thompson,%2021%20N.D.%20426,%20131%20N.W.%20231%20(1911).pdf)

Hey Closed, thank you for holding the line on that AndyAnderson dude at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Burlington_mayoral_election .  He's a FairVote shill.

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r b-j . _ . _ . _ . _ rbj at audioimagination.com

"Imagination is more important than knowledge."

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