1 |
Paul de Vrieze wrote: [Sun May 01 2005, 04:56:48PM EDT] |
2 |
> On Sunday 01 May 2005 10:13, Donnie Berkholz wrote: |
3 |
> |
4 |
> > |
5 |
> > Perhaps a voting method that regular people can actually understand |
6 |
> > intuitively would be more helpful. |
7 |
> |
8 |
> I agree completely that we don't want the debian voting system (whatever |
9 |
> called). I think it should have the following constraints: |
10 |
> - The preferred candidates get chosen |
11 |
> - Even if there are not enough candidates, bad ones shouldn't get chosen. |
12 |
|
13 |
Satisfying these two points is the reason for using a Condorcet voting |
14 |
method instead of a plurality method. |
15 |
|
16 |
Say there are 5 people running for a position. 1 person gets 21% of |
17 |
the vote and 4 people split the remaining votes evenly. In that case, |
18 |
the 1 person gets elected in the plurality system, even if that person |
19 |
is deplored by 79% of the voters. |
20 |
|
21 |
The plurality system encourages people to vote for 1 of 2 parties, |
22 |
since they are aware that voting for their preferred party has no |
23 |
effect but to increase the chances of the worst candidate. For |
24 |
example, nobody ever votes for the Green party (U.S.) because they |
25 |
know they must vote for the Reps or Dems to get the lesser of two |
26 |
evils. |
27 |
|
28 |
The Condorcet method instead allows the candidate that is most |
29 |
preferred over the other candidates to win. Though it isn't instantly |
30 |
intuitive, it only takes a few minutes to understand how it works. |
31 |
|
32 |
> - The process should be simple and transparent. |
33 |
|
34 |
IMHO the Condorcet method is that, once you take a few minutes to read |
35 |
about it. However the only voting method people know intuitively is |
36 |
plurality. If the primary constraint for Gentoo elections is "It must |
37 |
be brainless" then you will never satisfy the first two constraints |
38 |
you mentioned, even if you intuitively think you are. |
39 |
|
40 |
Regards, |
41 |
Aron |
42 |
|
43 |
-- |
44 |
Aron Griffis |
45 |
Gentoo Linux Developer |