New proposed section:<div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; "><div style="background-color: transparent; "><span id="internal-source-marker_0.3363389861769974" style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Vote-counting details</span><br>

<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Most of our supported methods will require no updates to voting equipment, and all can be counted at the precinct level.</span><br>

<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; "></span><br>

<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; ">The supported methods will require little or no changes to voting equipment. Approval voting, majority judgment, and in some cases range voting can all be counted on any existing equipment, by treating each candidate as a separate “election”. </span><br>

<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; "></span><br>

<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; ">For instance, for range voting, the equipment could count how many people gave each rating to candidate A, from a simple array of choices such as 0, 1, 50, 98, 99, or 100. Most choices are bunched near the ends of the scale, as this helps range voters get near to the maximum power from their ballot. Once the number of voters choosing each rating is known, simple arithmetic gives the overall score for the candidate. </span><br>

<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; "></span><br>

<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; ">Counting our supported methods will be as trustworthy as counting plurality. Computers will help give results faster, but all results could be checked by hand. Publicly-available tables of results could be detailed enough to allow such checking, without compromising the secrecy of individual ballots or taking more than a few pages or kilobytes of data. Precinct-level counting and reporting helps allow for good security measures such as paper ballots and sampled auditing. All the methods will result in a low rate of spoiled or invalid ballots, perhaps lower than plurality.</span></div>

</span><br><div class="gmail_quote">2011/9/10 Jameson Quinn <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:jameson.quinn@gmail.com">jameson.quinn@gmail.com</a>></span><br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;">

We have now edited the whole statement from over 4000 words to under 3000; and the executive summary from over 400 to under 300. (The table of contents/section headers constitute just over 200 words, and are only counted once as section headers.) Recent edits include:<div>


<ul><li>Separating out material on "additional references" (ie, wikipedia and the EM list) and on IRV into their own sections</li><li>Including a pledge to focus more attention on opposing plurality than IRV, and a call for IRV supporters to do the same.</li>


<li>General pruning down to size</li></ul></div><div>Here's the latest proposal: first the "executive summary" (located near the bottom of the <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oyJLxI9dciXBbowM5mougnbGHzkL3Ue1QkD8nnMwWLg/edit?hl=en_US&pli=1" target="_blank">google doc</a>) and then the body of the statement. We currently have 10 (pre)signatures, and I hope to make it to at least 30.</div>


<div><br></div><div>Jameson Quinn</div><div><br></div><div>-----------</div><div><br></div><div><span style="font-family:Times;font-size:medium"><div style="background-color:transparent"><span style="font-size:18pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">[suggested] Executive Summary</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">This declaration, which has been signed by election-method experts from around the world, publicly denounces the use of plurality voting (also known as First Past the Post, FPTP), especially in governmental elections. Among other major flaws, plurality voting suffers from vote splitting, which is what impels voters to focus on only two nominees in each election, ignoring even other candidates they prefer.</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">As replacements for plurality voting, this declaration recommends four significantly fairer election methods, namely: Approval voting, any Condorcet method, Majority Judgment, and Range voting.  These methods all replace plurality's primitive single-mark ballot with improved ballots that collect more information. All endorsed methods support the principle that a majority of voters, not just a plurality of voters, should approve or prefer the winning candidate.</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The signers take no common position the use of instant-runoff voting (IRV), which is also known as the alternative vote. Opinions differ on whether this system’s disadvantages outweigh its advantages.</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">As a consequence of adopting fairer election methods, this declaration's signers expect many direct benefits in government. They also expect indirect society-wide and/or economic benefits, just as replacing monarchies and dictatorships with plurality voting has produced dramatic and widespread benefits. The signers of this declaration vary in political orientation, and are confident that the recommended election reforms will be fair to all, not biasing results towards any particular political parties or groups. </span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The signers urge broader discussion of the flaws of plurality voting and the reforms which would fix them. We also urge immediate adoption of the supported voting methods in any governmental or private-organization elections which currently, yet inappropriately, use plurality voting.</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Note: The statement is divided into 12 short sections, each of which begins with a one-sentence summary also included in the table of contents.</span></div>


<div style="background-color:transparent"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br>


</span></div></span><span style="font-family:Times;font-size:medium"><div style="background-color:transparent"><span style="font-size:18pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Contents</span><br>


<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Introduction </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">- </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">It is time to change our voting system.</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>


<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Unfairness of plurality voting</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> - </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Plurality voting is a bad method that is used far too often.</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>


<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Better ballots</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> - </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">With better information from the voters, we can elect better winners.</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>


<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Fairer counting methods</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> - </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Signers agree that any of these four voting methods would give more-democratic results: (1) approval voting, (2) Condorcet voting, (3) majority judgment, and (4) range voting.</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>


<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Additional considerations:</span><br>


<p dir="ltr" style="margin-left:36pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Instant-runoff voting</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> - </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">We have differing opinions on a system that has both advantages and disadvantages.</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span></p>


<p dir="ltr" style="margin-left:36pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Proportional representation</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> - </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Legislatures should represent all the voters, not just a bare majority.</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span></p>


<p dir="ltr" style="margin-left:36pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Using the fairer methods in organizations</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> - </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Private organizations are a great place to start voting reform.</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span></p>


<p dir="ltr" style="margin-left:36pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Rounds of voting</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> - </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Good voting methods can reduce the need for extra rounds (primaries and runoffs), or give even-better results when combined with such extra rounds.</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span></p>


<p dir="ltr" style="margin-left:36pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Separate reforms</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> - </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Reforming the voting system helps with other democratic reforms.</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span></p>


<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Benefits for all</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> - </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Voting reform is truly a win/win solution that will help all political groups.</span><br>


<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Further resources</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>


<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Taking action</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> - </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">We urge you to help promote better voting methods wherever you are active, both by spreading awareness and by doing what you can to implement them.</span><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:18pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Introduction</span><span style="font-size:24pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">It is time to change our voting system.</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">We, the undersigned election-method experts and enthusiasts from around the world, unanimously denounce the use of plurality voting in governmental elections. In this declaration we offer several ready-to-adopt replacement election methods that we agree will reliably produce much fairer results.</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">We are confident that adopting any of our recommended methods will reduce the gap between what voters want and politicians do. This increase in government accountability will arise from increasing the influence of voters, and decreasing the currently excessive influence of campaign contributions. In other words, adopting any of our supported election methods will increase the fairness of election results.</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">We agree that there are no significant political or economic risks associated with adopting the election methods recommended here. In fact, we believe that the indirect benefits of better government will be substantial. Just as democracies tend to be more prosperous than monarchies, we expect that higher levels of democracy will lead to higher standards of living, reduced conflicts, and widespread increases in prosperity.</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:18pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Unfairness of plurality voting</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Plurality voting is a bad method that is used far too often.</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">We use the term "plurality" voting to refer to the commonly used counting method in which each voter marks only a single choice on the ballot, the number of marks for each candidate are counted, and the candidate with the most marks is regarded as the winner. In some nations this method is called "First Past The Post" (and abbreviated FPTP or FPP). </span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Although plurality voting produces fair results when there are only two candidates, the results are often dramatically unfair when this method is used in elections with three or more candidates.</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">"Vote splitting" is a key weakness of plurality voting, so it is worth understanding.  Vote splitting refers to similar candidates each receiving fewer votes than a single opposition candidate when either similar candidate alone could defeat that opposition candidate. Voters who like both similar candidates split their vote between the two candidates, while the opposition concentrates all of their voters' votes on a single candidate. Vote splitting also happens in primary elections and nominating conventions.</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">In many countries which use plurality, vote splitting in general elections is relatively rare, because almost everyone votes for the nominee of one of the two “major” parties. To avoid splitting their votes, voters must choose which of these two they like best, and ignore other possibly-better candidates. Like vote-splitting, this two-party monopoly has serious problems; it discourages serious opposition, narrows the debate, and reduces accountability. In the end it can lead politicians and parties to grow complacent or even corrupt.</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">In spite of its well-understood weaknesses, plurality voting is far too widely used, especially in the English-speaking world.</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:18pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Better ballots</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">With better information from the voters, we can elect better winners.</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Unanimously we agree that the kind of ballot used in plurality voting — which in this declaration is called a "single-mark” ballot — is not appropriate in governmental elections. Its deficiency is that it does not collect enough preference information from the voters in order to always correctly identify the most popular candidate when there are more than two candidates. This lack of information helps to conceal the unfairness of plurality voting.</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">There are three kinds of ballots that collect enough preference information to always, or almost always, correctly identify the most popular candidate. The names and descriptions of these ballot types are, in alphabetical order:</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><ul>
<li style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">
<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Approval ballot</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, on which a voter marks each candidate who the voter approves as an acceptable choice, and leaves unmarked the candidates who are not acceptable</span></li>


</ul><br><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><ul>


<li style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">
<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Ranked ballot</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> (or “1-2-3 ballot”), on which a voter indicates a first choice, and optionally indicates a second choice, and optionally indicates additional choices at lower preference levels</span></li>


</ul><br><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><ul>


<li style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">
<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Score ballot</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, on which a voter assigns a number or grade for each candidate. The most familiar versions of such voting are to rate something with 1 to 5 stars, or rate a choice with a number from 1 to 10, or to rate each choice at a named grade (such as "excellent", "good", "fair", "poor", or "reject"), but any range of numbers or grades can be used.</span></li>


</ul><br><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Adopting any of the three better ballot types would provide the information that is needed for fair results. The additional information will also help illustrate how unfair of plurality voting is and has been.</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:18pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Fairer counting methods</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Together we endorse four voting methods that would give more-democratic results.</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">These three better ballot types can be counted in different ways to produce different results. We, the undersigned election-method experts and enthusiasts, have developed and analyzed many counting methods, and we now agree on several that are worth adopting in governmental elections.</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Here, in alphabetical order, are four counting methods that we agree will produce significantly better results compared to plurality voting. Each counting method is followed by the principal advantage claimed by those of us who favor that method.</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><ul>
<li style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Approval voting</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, which uses approval ballots and identifies the candidate with the most approval marks as the winner.</span></li>


</ul><br><p dir="ltr" style="margin-left:36pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Advantage</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">: It is the simplest election method to collect preferences (either on ballots or with a show of hands) and the simplest method (besides plurality) to count and explain. Its simplicity makes it a good first step toward any of the other methods.</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span></p>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><ul>
<li style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Any of the </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Condorcet methods</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, which use ranked ballots, and elects a “Condorcet winner” who would defeat every other candidate in one-on-one comparisons. Occasionally there is no Condorcet winner, and different Condorcet methods use different rules to resolve such cases, although these rules still often agree on the best winner. The most-used Condorcet methods are Condorcet-Schulze and Condorcet-Kemeny. (The word Condorcet is a French name that is pronounced "kon-dor-say".)</span></li>


</ul><br><p dir="ltr" style="margin-left:36pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Advantage</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">: Condorcet methods provide what many see as the fairest result in the common cases where there is a Condorcet winner.</span></p>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><ul>
<li style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Majority judgment</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, which uses score ballots to collect the fullest preference information, and elects the candidate who gets the best score from half or more of the voters (the best median score). This method is a form of Bucklin voting, which is a general class of methods that has been used for city elections in both late 18</span><span style="font-size:6pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:super;white-space:pre-wrap">th</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">-century Switzerland and early 20</span><span style="font-size:6pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:super;white-space:pre-wrap">th</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">-century United States.</span></li>


</ul><br><p dir="ltr" style="margin-left:36pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Advantage</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">: Majority Judgment counts ballots in a way that reduces the incentives to exaggerate or change your preferences, so it is arguably the best system for finding out how the voters truly feel about each candidate on an absolute scale.</span></p>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><ul>
<li style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Range voting</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> (also known as score voting), which also uses score ballots, and adds together the scores assigned to each candidate, and identifies the winner as the candidate who receives the highest total score.</span></li>


</ul><br><p dir="ltr" style="margin-left:36pt;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Advantage</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">: Simulations have shown that Range leads to the best voter satisfaction if voters vote sincerely. And even every voter votes strategically, exaggerating their vote, it still gives the same reasonable results as Approval voting.</span></p>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">This list of supported methods may expand in the future, as we fully analyze and test newly-developed methods. One such new method that some of us favor today is Simple Optionally-Delegated Approval (SODA) voting, which combines approval voting with vote delegation to simplify the voter’s task.</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">All of these methods are "single-winner" election methods, which means they elect a single winner, such as a mayor or governor. All four of them have been used to elect officers such as presidents, treasurers, and secretaries in non-governmental organizations, and the fairer results have been widely appreciated (except by some incumbents who were not reelected).</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Why do we not support a single "best" election method? Different election-method experts place different degrees of importance on the relative advantages and disadvantages of each method. In the list of signatures some of us indicate which voting method we most-strongly prefer. It bears repeating, though, that despite our disagreements, we would not hesitate to support any of these methods over plurality voting. In signing this statement, we are uniting against plurality, not “splitting the vote” by each supporting only our favorite method.</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:18pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Additional considerations</span><br>


<span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Instant-runoff voting</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">We have differing opinions on a system that has both advantages and disadvantages.</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">There is another counting method that is supported by some, but not most, of the undersigned election-method experts. It is called "instant-runoff voting" (or "IRV" or "the alternative vote"), and it uses ranked ballots. The counting method begins by considering each voter's highest-ranked choice, and eliminating the candidate with the fewest votes, and then shifting the affected ballots to the next-most preferred candidate, and repeating this process until a candidate receives a majority of votes.</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The main advantage of instant-runoff counting is that it is easy for many people to understand, especially because the counting process is similar to the familiar process of runoff elections. However, this method can yield unfair results because it is based on the mistaken belief that the candidate who gets the fewest plurality votes is the least popular and should be eliminated.</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">IRV has another possible advantage, called “Later-No-Harm”: under IRV, it can never hurt you to rank an extra candidate. However, a few of us doubt this is even a desirable characteristic, and we all agree the evidence shows that Later-No-Harm is not a critical necessity for a good voting method.</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Instant-runoff voting is used in some governmental elections throughout the world, and most of us agree that usually the results are an improvement over plurality voting. Yet when IRV has been used, it has sometimes eliminated the candidate preferred by the majority, leading to a winner most voters see as wrong. This problem, which is unlikely or impossible with the four methods we endorse, has led voters to repeal IRV and, tragically, return to plurality voting in several cases. </span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Most of us agree that the two advantages of IRV (its simplicity of counting and its resistance to a specific kind of strategic voting) do not outweigh its major disadvantage compared to the methods we support, which is that it fails to correctly identify the most popular candidate in many elections. </span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Those of us who do feel that IRV is an improvement over plurality will support it, even if we favor other methods more. Even those of us who feel that IRV’s disadvantages are serious will try focus more attention on the more-commonly-suffered disadvantages of plurality. We believe that this common focus makes us more effective advocates, and we call on those who principally favor IRV to extend the same courtesies to the methods we endorse.</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Proportional representation</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Legislatures should represent all the voters, not just a bare majority.</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Complications arise when an election fills a legislative seat, such as a seat in a legislature, congress, or parliament. For this purpose many nations use "proportional representation" because it matches the proportion of legislators from each political party with the proportion of voters who, on their ballot, associate themselves with each political party. Unanimously we support the continued use of proportional representation in governments that already use it.</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">If a government uses the "closed-list" version of proportional representation, we unanimously support switching to either a "candidate-centric" or "open-list" version. We oppose closed-list methods because they disregard voters preferences for specific candidates, transfer power to party insiders who are not elected, and reduce transparency.</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Unlike the four voting methods we endorse, which are clearly better than plurality in all significant ways, proportional representation can have disadvantages as well as advantages. Many, though not all, of us believe that the benefits outweigh the potential downsides, and thus support adopting proportional representation in nations that do not yet use it. Still, the decision of whether to adopt proportional representation, and which specific method to adopt, is one that depends on the values of the voters, and we cannot offer a blanket recommendation here.</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Regardless of how legislative seats are filled, we unanimously oppose the use of plurality voting in any aspect of filling legislative seats, and we unanimously support replacing those uses of plurality voting with any of our four supported election methods.</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Using the fairer methods in organizations</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Private organizations are a great place to start voting reform.</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">These better voting methods are not just useful for public elections. They also can be used to elect a private organization's officers, to elect corporate board members, to make voting-based group decisions, and to elect delegates to political-party conventions. In addition to increasing the fairness of such elections and decisions, these uses will increase the number of people who realize that plurality voting is very unfair, and help them learn how to achieve much fairer results.</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Multiple rounds of voting</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Good voting systems can reduce the need for primaries and runoffs, or give even-better results when combined with such extra rounds.</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Current elections commonly use multiple rounds of voting. This includes both “primary elections” to narrow the field before the main vote, and second-round “runoff elections” to ensure a majority if one is not obtained in the main first round.</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Some of us believe that improved voting methods mean that only one round of voting is needed. Others of us believe that multiple rounds can still usefully serve to focus attention on the most popular candidates and might improve the outcome of the election. Like proportional representation, this is a decision that should be taken by the voters.</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Separate reforms</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Reforming the voting system helps with other democratic reforms.</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Most of us regard the adoption of our supported methods as merely one step toward increasing the fairness of electing governmental representatives, and believe that further steps, such as improved campaign-finance reporting rules, are also needed.  Similarly, many of us believe that the governmental process of making wise decisions can be improved, such as by using decision-making aids such as deliberative polling.  The election-method reforms we advocate here would be complementary with those other reforms, both easing their adoption and multiplying their beneficial effects.</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:transparent;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:18pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Benefits for all</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Voting reform is truly a win/win solution that will help all political groups.</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Those of us signing this declaration have very different political views, but in this statement we are looking beyond narrow, partisan interests. In fact, we see no good reason to oppose election-method reform. Better election methods can help all political groups: both conservatives and liberals, both business and labor, both incumbents and upstart campaigners, both centrists and extremists, both larger and smaller parties. We believe that each of these groups can benefit in very concrete and specific ways, and we are available (see below) to discuss how and why for each case.</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Politics is often viewed as a “zero-sum game” in which one side can gain only if another side loses. In contrast, we view election-method reform as taking the next step up the ladder of democracy. Just as democracy has proven to be much better than dictatorships, higher levels of democracy will help us reach even higher standards of living across society. We do not pretend to offer a utopia, where conflicts of interest disappear; elections will always have winners and losers. But our proposals will help ensure that the winners are a majority. And more importantly, we believe that current political systems are often so dysfunctional that they serve no one well, and therefore a healthier system will benefit all groups.</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> </span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>


<span style="font-size:18pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Further resources</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The following Wikipedia articles provide detailed descriptions and characteristics of our supported methods:</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><ul>
<li style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Approval voting</span></li>


<li style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Condorcet method</span></li>


<li style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Majority Judgment</span></li>


<li style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Range voting</span></li>


</ul><br><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Some of us signing this statement edit these Wikipedia articles to keep them accurate and unbiased. Also, many of us participate in the "Election-Methods" forum at </span><a href="http://www.electorama.com/em" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 153);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">www.electorama.com/em</span></a><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, and we would be happy to answer your questions about any of these methods.</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>


<span style="font-size:18pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Taking action</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">We urge you to help promote better voting methods wherever you are active, both by spreading awareness and by doing what you can to implement them.</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">We address this statement to all citizens. Whatever your political leanings, we urge you to help educate yourself, your friends, and your representatives about the advantages of better voting methods, and to organize with other like-minded citizens to multiply your effect. To people in specific situations we offer these recommendations:</span><ul>


<li style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">If you are a policymaker, you can better represent your constituents and reduce your need to constantly fundraise by introducing legislation that would adopt one of the election methods we support.</span></li>


<li style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">If you are active in a political party that uses plurality voting, you can increase your party’s chances of winning in the main election by using better voting methods to choose your party's candidates and your party's internally elected delegates.</span></li>


<li style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">If you feel that “your” political party wants your vote and your money, but doesn’t care about your priorities, you can move towards having a real voice by pledging to only donate to, or work for, candidates who support election-method reform.</span></li>


<li style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">If you do not identify with any political party, you can favor candidates who express support for election reform.</span></li>


<li style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">If you are involved in a small political party, you can urge the adoption of one of the methods here as part of your party platform and an important strategy for growing your party.</span></li>


<li style="list-style-type:disc;font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline">
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">If you are a member of an organization that elects officers using plurality voting, you can help your organization increase election fairness, and run more smoothly, by requesting the use of better election methods when an election involves more than two candidates.</span></li>


</ul><br><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The unfairness of plurality voting has been known for centuries, but too little has been done about it. That may be because plurality hides evidence of the unfairness, because before computers other methods can be cumbersome to count, or because election-method experts have not not united to speak against plurality voting. Now it is time to begin putting this primitive method where it belongs, namely in historical records as an early step in the progress of democracy.</span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:18pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Signatures</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>


<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">We, the following election-method experts and enthusiasts, agree with the statements made in this declaration.</span></div>


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