> I intend to propose the following change to rule 955, in place of the current
> definition of IRV:
>
> > The outcome of an Instant Runoff decision is:
> >
> > a. If a single option has the absolute majority of valid ballots specifying
> > it as the first entry on the list, then the outcome is that option;
> > otherwise
> >
> > b. The option with the fewest valid ballots specifying it as the first
> > entry on the list is identified, and the outcome is the outcome of an
> > Instant Runoff decision as if that option had been removed from each valid
> > ballot that contained it.
> >
> > If there are multiple such options, the vote collector for the decision
> > can, and must, select one to remove, specifying that they did so in the
> > message resolving the decision.
>
> Does this contain any obvious scams? Does this accurately capture IRV as
> performed by Agorans?
Some bugs:
* R955 specifies invalid options are eliminated before the process
starts; it's probably good to keep that.
* The voting strength of each ballot should matter.
* When determining whether an option has a majority, votes for PRESENT
or listing only options that have been eliminated shouldn't count.
I couldn't resist making my own attempt. It's a lot wordier than
yours, unfortunately, but it addresses these points and omd's first
point. Maybe there's some middle ground that's less wordy.
2. For an instant runoff decision, the vote collector determines the
outcome by the following process. During the process, an option's
first-place voting strength is defined to be the sum of the voting
strengths of the ballots that list that option before all other
options that have not been eliminated, and the remaining voting
strength is defined to be the sum of voting strengths of valid
ballots in this decision that list at least one option that has not
been eliminated.
a) First, all entities that are part of a valid vote, but were not a
valid option at the end of the voting period, or are disqualified
by the rule providing for the decision, are eliminated.
b) If no ballot lists an option that hasn't been eliminated, the
outcome is null.
c) Otherwise, the vote collector successively eliminates options
until some option's first-place voting strength is more than half
the remaining voting strength, and that remaining option is the
outcome of the decision. For an option to be eliminated, its first
place voting strength must be less than or equal to the first
place voting strengths of all other options, and if it is equal to
another's, the vote collector must specify which option was
eliminated in the announcement of the decision's resolution.
