Jeanne, I would offer a slight modification to your suggestion in that 'None of the Above' (NOTA) should always be included as an option in the voting. I consider the fact that an endorsement is guaranteed a weakness of the method you propose. It's easy to think of the hypothetical case of there being only one candidate and they really stink.
Instead, NOTA should be included almost like they are another candidate. The only thing is that NOTA is not dropped from list as the lowest vote getter during any round. Once someone lists NOTA their vote stays there and anything they list after that is ignored. The Green Party often uses this approach and it works well. Darrell Gerber > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf > Of Jeanne Massey > Sent: Wednesday, March 09, 2005 6:48 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: re: [Mpls] 2nd Ward DFL Convention rule problems - the IRV > solution > > Greg Abbot" > If the problem you're trying to solve is overly long conventions, the > solution is a stricter drop-off rule, not a weaker one. Speed up the > arrival of the point where the delegates have to make a final choice - > postponing it only extends the convention needlessly (and thereby makes an > endorsement less likely). > > Response: > Overly long conventions, the lack of an endorsed candidate, dwindling > attendance - all of these problems can be solved through the use of > instant > runoff voting, which would result in an endorsed candidate without > successive runoffs and drop offs. As a voting mechanism, IRV is an > efficient and effective tool, and not prone to manipulation and game > playing. > > Disagreement over the proposed ward rules would be resolved as all of the > rules would be completely unnecessary. > > Instant runoff voting is straightforward and would work like this (at the > time of quorum - whatever it is the delegates decide): > > 1) All delegates cast their vote, ranking the candidates 1, 2, 3, (up to > however many candidates there are), all on the first and only ballot. > (Note > you can rank as many candidates as you want.) If a candidate gets a > majority > of the votes on the first round, he or she wins. > > 2) If not, the candidate with the least votes is eliminated and the votes > for this candidate are transferred to the voters' second choice candidate > and ALL of the ballots are recounted. If a candidate gets a majority of > the > votes, he or she wins. If not, the candidate with the least number of > votes > is eliminated and the votes for this candidate are transferred to the > voters' third choice and round three of counting occurs. > > 3) Rounds of counting occur until a candidate with a majority of support > wins. > > IRV is simply a series of runoff votes, but preferences are indicated all > at > once on the first ballot through a ranking process. The wait time is > simply > the counting time of the run off ballots, not in re-voting and waiting for > an endorsed candidate. > > In this method, all the proposed rules become irrelevant: > > Proposed rule: Keeping a candidate with less than 10% support on the > ballot > through three ballots rather than just one. > > With IRV: Candidates with the least support are sequentially and > automatically eliminated. > > Proposed rule: Allowing a motion of "No Endorsement" after just two > ballots > rather than the standard of three. > > With IRV: An endorsement is guaranteed. > > Proposed rule: Limiting the number of endorsement ballots to just five > rather than the standard of an unlimited number. > > With IRV: There's only one ballot - the first one. > > Proposed rule: Limiting the length of the convention to just three hours > rather than the standard of being open until business is done. > > With IRV: The result is known as quickly as the counting process can be > accomplished. > > Endorsement conventions are a good opportunity to experiment with instant > runoff voting as a party. It's used as a voting tool by various > organizations to elect its leadership. > > There are people through FairVote MN, possibly the League of MN Voters (as > the organization recently completed a study on how IRV works), and others > who could assist in setting up the ballot and with the counting process. > > Jeanne Massey > Kingfield > > > > REMINDERS: > 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e- > democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact the > list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. > > 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. > > For state and national discussions see: http://e- > democracy.org/discuss.html > For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract > ________________________________ > > Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E- > Democracy > Post messages to: mailto:[email protected] > Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls REMINDERS: 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[email protected] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
