Tactical voting is a problem only where it changes
the end result. A candidate is percieved as a loser
and thereby becomes one. If tactical voting changes
nothing it is harmless.
Voters vote via computer terminal with suitable
password etc. However you can change your vote
any time up to the election deadline and there
is a long interval maybe two weeks during which
you can vote. No one can see your vote after you've
cast it, but you can replace your vote.
People can see vote totals at any instant.
This allows people to buy votes but prevents them
from knowing they got what they paid for because
you can replace your vote and they can't check on it.
People will start out voting their honest preference
but if that is losing by a big margin they can shift
to a candidate with a chance. If I see that the election
is not close I might shift to a minority candidate to
make a statement.
Charles Fiterman Geodesic Systems
414 North Orleans Suite 410 Phone 312 832 1221 x223
Chicago IL 60610-4418 FAX 312 832 1230
http://www.geodesic.com
As the complexity of a system increases our ability to make
precise and yet significant statements about its behavior
diminishes until a threshold is reached beyond which precision
and significance or relevance become almost mutually exclusive
characteristics. -- Lofti Zadeh
