There is only one real issue in elections: representation of the voters. If in a single winner partisan election the voters vote 51% for A and 49% for B, we have a major problem in representation.
But if the voters vote in the same way (51% to 49%) in a two-member election, any sensible voting system will give one seat to A and one seat to B. Compared to that difference in providing "representation of the voters", all the other differences between single-winner and multi-winner elections are trivial. James > -----Original Message----- > From: election-methods-boun...@lists.electorama.com > [mailto:election-methods-boun...@lists.electorama.com] On > Behalf Of Juho Laatu > Sent: Thursday, August 04, 2011 7:07 AM > To: EM list > Subject: Re: [EM] Record activity on the EM list? > > > Yes, there are areas where single-winner methods are more > challenging. For example multi-winner STV works better than > single-winner STV, and it is easier to collect sincere > ratings in multi-winner methods than in single-winner > methods. On the other hand the field of study may be wider in > multi-winenr methods (a bit like N is more complicated than > 1). In multi-winner methods we may have some additional > aspects to study and solve like proportionality, geographical > proportionality and the computational complexity related > problems tend to cause problems. Individual problems may thus > be more numerous in multi-winner methods although some > individual problems may be more challenging in single-winner methods. > > Juho > > > > On 3.8.2011, at 19.35, James Gilmour wrote: > > > Juho Laatu > Sent: Wednesday, August 03, 2011 6:04 AM > >> Multi-winner methods are, if possible, even more complicated > >> than single-winner methods. > > > > I disagree. It is much easier to obtain a "satisfactory" > > (representative, acceptable) outcome for a multi-winner > election than > > it is to obtain a "satisfactory" (representative, > acceptable) outcome > > for a single-winner election. Choosing a method to elect the > > candidate who best represents the voters in a single-winner > election > > is the most difficult challenge in electoral science. As > soon as you > > elect two or more candidates together, many of the problems > disappear. > > > > James Gilmour > > > > > > ---- > > Election-Methods mailing list - see > http://electorama.com/em for list > > info > > ---- > Election-Methods mailing list - see http://electorama.com/em > for list info > ---- Election-Methods mailing list - see http://electorama.com/em for list info