<div dir="ltr">To congratulate the Center for Election Science for hiring their new full-time executive director (Aaron Hamlin), I'm running a fundraiser for them. I'm using a "soft dominant assurance contract" to encourage people to donate. You can read more about this <a href="http://metapolitics.quora.com/Matching-experiment-10x-your-impact-or-Ill-give-you-5-free">on Quora</a> but here are the basic details:<div>

<br></div><div><ul style="margin:0px 0px 0px 1.6em;padding:0px;list-style-position:initial;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'Palatino Linotype',Palatino,Palladio,'URW Palladio L','Book Antiqua',Baskerville,'Bookman Old Style','Bitstream Charter','Nimbus Roman No9 L',Garamond,'Apple Garamond','ITC Garamond Narrow','New Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook L',Georgia,serif;font-size:18px;line-height:30px">

<li style="margin:0px 0px 5px;padding:0px"><span style="font-size:18px">You can make one or more "pledges" by messaging me (</span><span class="" style="font-size:18px;margin:0px;padding:0px"><a href="http://www.quora.com/Jameson-Quinn" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;text-decoration:none;color:rgb(25,85,141)">Jameson Quinn</a></span><span style="font-size:18px">). (email also works)</span><br>

</li><li style="margin:0px 0px 5px;padding:0px">If in 1 week (before noon PST on August 25th), I get 20 pledges in total, each pledger commits to giving at least $5 a month (or a single $60 donation) to the Center for Election Science (CES).</li>

<li style="margin:0px 0px 5px;padding:0px">If I get exactly 19 pledges, each pledger commits to giving at least a $30 donation (basic membership). I will also increase my own donations by $5 a month in this specific case.</li>

<li style="margin:0px 0px 5px;padding:0px">If I get fewer than 19 pledges, I will send $5 of my money to each pledger, and the pledgers are not obligated to make any donation.</li><li style="margin:0px 0px 5px;padding:0px">

If I get more than 20 pledges, each pledger will give a one-time extra donation of the excess number of pledges times $3. So if I get 25 pledges, each would give an additional $15. You may optionally put a limit of no less than $75 on your total contribution, to insure yourself against the case where this is unexpectedly successful.</li>

<li style="margin:0px 0px 5px;padding:0px">All of this is on the honor system. Please only pledge if you are serious about it.</li></ul><span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'Palatino Linotype',Palatino,Palladio,'URW Palladio L','Book Antiqua',Baskerville,'Bookman Old Style','Bitstream Charter','Nimbus Roman No9 L',Garamond,'Apple Garamond','ITC Garamond Narrow','New Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook L',Georgia,serif;font-size:18px;line-height:30px">The upshot is that you are putting about $60 on the line. If there are fewer than 19 pledges, you make a $5 profit. If there are 19 or 20 pledges, each person is key to making the donations actually happen, so </span><b style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'Palatino Linotype',Palatino,Palladio,'URW Palladio L','Book Antiqua',Baskerville,'Bookman Old Style','Bitstream Charter','Nimbus Roman No9 L',Garamond,'Apple Garamond','ITC Garamond Narrow','New Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook L',Georgia,serif;font-size:18px;line-height:30px">your money is effectively being multiplied by 10</b><span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'Palatino Linotype',Palatino,Palladio,'URW Palladio L','Book Antiqua',Baskerville,'Bookman Old Style','Bitstream Charter','Nimbus Roman No9 L',Garamond,'Apple Garamond','ITC Garamond Narrow','New Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook L',Georgia,serif;font-size:18px;line-height:30px"> (marginally) or 20 (net). If there are over 20 pledges, the extra money from each person means that your money is being multiplied by over 2 (marginally) or 20 (net).</span><br style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'Palatino Linotype',Palatino,Palladio,'URW Palladio L','Book Antiqua',Baskerville,'Bookman Old Style','Bitstream Charter','Nimbus Roman No9 L',Garamond,'Apple Garamond','ITC Garamond Narrow','New Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook L',Georgia,serif;font-size:18px;line-height:30px">

<br style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'Palatino Linotype',Palatino,Palladio,'URW Palladio L','Book Antiqua',Baskerville,'Bookman Old Style','Bitstream Charter','Nimbus Roman No9 L',Garamond,'Apple Garamond','ITC Garamond Narrow','New Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook L',Georgia,serif;font-size:18px;line-height:30px">

<b style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'Palatino Linotype',Palatino,Palladio,'URW Palladio L','Book Antiqua',Baskerville,'Bookman Old Style','Bitstream Charter','Nimbus Roman No9 L',Garamond,'Apple Garamond','ITC Garamond Narrow','New Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook L',Georgia,serif;font-size:18px;line-height:30px"><u style="margin:0px;padding:0px">Or, in simple terms: by pledging $5 per month, you can either be key to enabling $1200 in donations, or get $5 profit.</u></b><br style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'Palatino Linotype',Palatino,Palladio,'URW Palladio L','Book Antiqua',Baskerville,'Bookman Old Style','Bitstream Charter','Nimbus Roman No9 L',Garamond,'Apple Garamond','ITC Garamond Narrow','New Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook L',Georgia,serif;font-size:18px;line-height:30px">

<br style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'Palatino Linotype',Palatino,Palladio,'URW Palladio L','Book Antiqua',Baskerville,'Bookman Old Style','Bitstream Charter','Nimbus Roman No9 L',Garamond,'Apple Garamond','ITC Garamond Narrow','New Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook L',Georgia,serif;font-size:18px;line-height:30px">

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'Palatino Linotype',Palatino,Palladio,'URW Palladio L','Book Antiqua',Baskerville,'Bookman Old Style','Bitstream Charter','Nimbus Roman No9 L',Garamond,'Apple Garamond','ITC Garamond Narrow','New Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook L',Georgia,serif;font-size:18px;line-height:30px">The graph again:</span><br style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'Palatino Linotype',Palatino,Palladio,'URW Palladio L','Book Antiqua',Baskerville,'Bookman Old Style','Bitstream Charter','Nimbus Roman No9 L',Garamond,'Apple Garamond','ITC Garamond Narrow','New Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook L',Georgia,serif;font-size:18px;line-height:30px">

<div style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'Palatino Linotype',Palatino,Palladio,'URW Palladio L','Book Antiqua',Baskerville,'Bookman Old Style','Bitstream Charter','Nimbus Roman No9 L',Garamond,'Apple Garamond','ITC Garamond Narrow','New Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook L',Georgia,serif;font-size:18px;line-height:30px">

<img class="" src="http://qph.is.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-f41281ab4d175c87496022913b0f8af9" style="margin: 3px 0px 2px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; display: inline; max-width: 100%; max-height: none;"></div><br style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'Palatino Linotype',Palatino,Palladio,'URW Palladio L','Book Antiqua',Baskerville,'Bookman Old Style','Bitstream Charter','Nimbus Roman No9 L',Garamond,'Apple Garamond','ITC Garamond Narrow','New Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook L',Georgia,serif;font-size:18px;line-height:30px">

<br style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'Palatino Linotype',Palatino,Palladio,'URW Palladio L','Book Antiqua',Baskerville,'Bookman Old Style','Bitstream Charter','Nimbus Roman No9 L',Garamond,'Apple Garamond','ITC Garamond Narrow','New Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook L',Georgia,serif;font-size:18px;line-height:30px">

<br style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'Palatino Linotype',Palatino,Palladio,'URW Palladio L','Book Antiqua',Baskerville,'Bookman Old Style','Bitstream Charter','Nimbus Roman No9 L',Garamond,'Apple Garamond','ITC Garamond Narrow','New Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook L',Georgia,serif;font-size:18px;line-height:30px">

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'Palatino Linotype',Palatino,Palladio,'URW Palladio L','Book Antiqua',Baskerville,'Bookman Old Style','Bitstream Charter','Nimbus Roman No9 L',Garamond,'Apple Garamond','ITC Garamond Narrow','New Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook L',Georgia,serif;font-size:18px;line-height:30px">Again, message or email me with your pledges (</span><span class="" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'Palatino Linotype',Palatino,Palladio,'URW Palladio L','Book Antiqua',Baskerville,'Bookman Old Style','Bitstream Charter','Nimbus Roman No9 L',Garamond,'Apple Garamond','ITC Garamond Narrow','New Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook L',Georgia,serif;font-size:18px;line-height:30px"><a href="http://www.quora.com/Jameson-Quinn" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;text-decoration:none;color:rgb(25,85,141)">Jameson Quinn</a></span><span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'Palatino Linotype',Palatino,Palladio,'URW Palladio L','Book Antiqua',Baskerville,'Bookman Old Style','Bitstream Charter','Nimbus Roman No9 L',Garamond,'Apple Garamond','ITC Garamond Narrow','New Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook L',Georgia,serif;font-size:18px;line-height:30px">) I'll keep the Quora post updated with the number of pledges (and the pledgers names, if they want me to) and I'll let all the pledgers know the result (and if necessary ask how they want their $5) by private message at the end (Sunday the 25th).</span><br style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'Palatino Linotype',Palatino,Palladio,'URW Palladio L','Book Antiqua',Baskerville,'Bookman Old Style','Bitstream Charter','Nimbus Roman No9 L',Garamond,'Apple Garamond','ITC Garamond Narrow','New Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook L',Georgia,serif;font-size:18px;line-height:30px">

<br style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'Palatino Linotype',Palatino,Palladio,'URW Palladio L','Book Antiqua',Baskerville,'Bookman Old Style','Bitstream Charter','Nimbus Roman No9 L',Garamond,'Apple Garamond','ITC Garamond Narrow','New Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook L',Georgia,serif;font-size:18px;line-height:30px">

<span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'Palatino Linotype',Palatino,Palladio,'URW Palladio L','Book Antiqua',Baskerville,'Bookman Old Style','Bitstream Charter','Nimbus Roman No9 L',Garamond,'Apple Garamond','ITC Garamond Narrow','New Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook L',Georgia,serif;font-size:18px;line-height:30px">Current pledges: 3/20 (Thank you to </span><span class="" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'Palatino Linotype',Palatino,Palladio,'URW Palladio L','Book Antiqua',Baskerville,'Bookman Old Style','Bitstream Charter','Nimbus Roman No9 L',Garamond,'Apple Garamond','ITC Garamond Narrow','New Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook L',Georgia,serif;font-size:18px;line-height:30px"><a href="http://www.quora.com/Rob-Brown-13" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;text-decoration:none;color:rgb(25,85,141)">Rob Brown</a></span><span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'Palatino Linotype',Palatino,Palladio,'URW Palladio L','Book Antiqua',Baskerville,'Bookman Old Style','Bitstream Charter','Nimbus Roman No9 L',Garamond,'Apple Garamond','ITC Garamond Narrow','New Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook L',Georgia,serif;font-size:18px;line-height:30px">, </span><span class="" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'Palatino Linotype',Palatino,Palladio,'URW Palladio L','Book Antiqua',Baskerville,'Bookman Old Style','Bitstream Charter','Nimbus Roman No9 L',Garamond,'Apple Garamond','ITC Garamond Narrow','New Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook L',Georgia,serif;font-size:18px;line-height:30px"><a href="http://www.quora.com/Stephanie-Vardavas" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;text-decoration:none;color:rgb(25,85,141)">Stephanie Vardavas</a></span><span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'Palatino Linotype',Palatino,Palladio,'URW Palladio L','Book Antiqua',Baskerville,'Bookman Old Style','Bitstream Charter','Nimbus Roman No9 L',Garamond,'Apple Garamond','ITC Garamond Narrow','New Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook L',Georgia,serif;font-size:18px;line-height:30px">, </span><span class="" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'Palatino Linotype',Palatino,Palladio,'URW Palladio L','Book Antiqua',Baskerville,'Bookman Old Style','Bitstream Charter','Nimbus Roman No9 L',Garamond,'Apple Garamond','ITC Garamond Narrow','New Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook L',Georgia,serif;font-size:18px;line-height:30px"><a href="http://www.quora.com/Justin-Rising" style="margin:0px;padding:0px;text-decoration:none;color:rgb(25,85,141)">Justin Rising</a></span><span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:'Palatino Linotype',Palatino,Palladio,'URW Palladio L','Book Antiqua',Baskerville,'Bookman Old Style','Bitstream Charter','Nimbus Roman No9 L',Garamond,'Apple Garamond','ITC Garamond Narrow','New Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook','Century Schoolbook L',Georgia,serif;font-size:18px;line-height:30px">). That's with 191 views on the Quora post. I'm starting to get worried; but if you're thinking of pledging, that's good news for you, because your chances of getting the $5 aren't looking too bad.</span><br>

</div></div>