1. Rank all candidates (ties are possible).
2. The first candidate on every ballot is "approved" and receives one vote.
3. If the top-scoring candidate has neither been approved nor is the next choice on a ballot, the next candidate is approved.
4. Continue adding approvals until there are only bottom-ranked candidates remaining.
5. The one with the most Approval votes is the winner.
One addition that may be desirable (or may not be, if it introduces approval cycles that can't easily be resolved) is the following step between 3 and 4 above:
3.5 If the candidate with the most votes has been approved on your list and there are one or more ranked above him, remove all approvals from that candidate on down.
Steps 3 and 3.5 are there because if your top choice is being approved, you don't want to add approval votes to less desirable candidates, nor is there any need to add to the top candidate's score at the possible cost to a candidate you prefer higher.
Any names or links to a site covering this method would be great.
One problem I can see with the above method (especially if step 3.5 is included) is that you can have a voting cycle -- Approval votes are added, one of your higher choices gets more votes, Approval votes are removed, and the cycle starts again. One would have to come up with an Approval completion method. Here are some possibilities:
1. The first time a cycle repeats, it is frozen and the winner is determined from that cycle.
2. The cycle with the lowest total number of Approval votes is the one selected (lowest number of Approval votes should mean there are fewer "less approved" candidates).
3. The candidate with the greatest cycle victory, the smallest cycle defeat, or the best overall average could be picked.
Well, it's time for me to drive out in the snow. I'll try to think of some examples in case my explanation is too confusing (grin). If anyone can help, that would be great. Thanks!
Mike Rouse [EMAIL PROTECTED] ---- Election-methods mailing list - see http://electorama.com/em for list info
