<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><FONT SIZE=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0"><BR>
Why the unrealistic example is unrealistic:<BR>
<BR>
40A<BR>
35C>B<BR>
30B<BR>
<BR>
This example is not realistic because it is extremely unlikely that all the supporters of one party would express a second preference whilst none of the supporters of the two other parties would.<BR>
<BR>
Why this example is not that unrealistic:<BR>
<BR>
49 A>B>C<BR>
3 B>A>C<BR>
48 C>B>A<BR>
<BR>
Bedfordshire South-West <BR>
British General Election 2001<BR>
<BR>
Conservative 42.1%<BR>
Liberal Democrat 14.8%<BR>
Labour 40.4%<BR>
Other 2.7%<BR>
<BR>
In every British general election since Feb 1974 you could probably find approximately 100 similar results ( out of 635- 659 constituencies).<BR>
<BR>
Adam Tarr quoted me as stating in response to:<BR>
<BR>
40A<BR>
35C>B<BR>
30B<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">"IRV succeeds, I believe, in striking a balance between the two somewhat conflicting aims of ensuring that a candidate has majority support ( a candidate does not win with a minority of the vote because the opposition is split) "</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=3 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0"></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>
<BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0">You appear to have quoted only part of the sentence and in doing so have altered its meaning<BR>
<BR>
IRV succeeds, I believe, in striking a balance between the two somewhat conflicting aims of ensuring that a candidate has majority support ( a candidate does not win with a minority of the vote because the opposition is split) <B><U>and preventing dominance by candidates/parties who position themselves in the centre. </B></U><BR>
<BR>
<BR>
If you consider the example <BR>
<BR>
10% FarRight>Right>Centrist>Left>FarLeft <BR>
10% Right>FarRight>Centrist>Left>FarLeft <BR>
15% Right>Centrist>FarRight>Left>FarLeft <BR>
16% Centrist>Right>Left>FarRight>FarLeft <BR>
15% Centrist>Left>Right>FarLeft>FarRight <BR>
13% Left>Centrist>FarLeft>Right>FarRight <BR>
11% Left>FarLeft>Centrist>Right>FarRight <BR>
10% FarLeft>Left>Centrist>Right>FarRight <BR>
<BR>
Considering the electorate as 3 factions- Right 35%, Centre 31%, Left 34% IRV is doing exactly what I want it to do - preventing Centrist dominance.<BR>
<BR>
Under Condorcet the only way the Right or Left factions could win is if they obtained 50%+ of the first preference vote. I am prepared to live with the possibility of your example if it prevents Right 42%, Centre 17%, Left 41% with the Centre winning.<BR>
<BR>
David Gamble<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000" style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=3 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0"><BR>
<BR>
<BR>
</FONT></HTML>