I suggest this ballot, or one like it, for public polling on voting systems:
[beginning of ballot]
The problem with our Plurality voting system is that many voters feel
compelled to vote for a lesser-evil, abandoning their favorite. The voting
systems below were chosen because, with them, no one ever has any incentive
or reason to vote someone over their favorite.
Please mark a checkmark or an "x" in the box next to the methods that you
would vote for the enaction of, or sign an intiative petition for. I should
add that I claim that these are all acceptable, and that any one of them
would greatly improve our political system:
A. Point systems:
1. You may give to any candidate any number of points, from 0 to 10. The
candidate getting the most points wins. [ ]
2. Same as above, but you may give to any candidate any number of points
from -10 to 10. [ ]
3. Same as above, but you may give to any candidate either -1, 0, or 1
point. [ ]
4. Same as above, but you may give to any candidate either 1 point or 0
points. [ ]
(This latter one, #4, is called "Approval voting", and is used to choose the
Secretary General of the U.N., and to choose officers for various technical
societies. It has been shown that the others listed above it are
strategically equivalent to it. Approval can be implemented with no change
in ballot or balloting equipment).
B. Rank method (You rank the candidates in order of preference--1st choice,
2nd choice, etc.) :
1. Majority Choice:
A candidate is disqualified if a majority rank someone over him. The winner
is the un-disqualified candidate who is ranked by the most voters. (With
Majoriltiy Choice, you'd want to rank only the better candidates). [ ]
Optional:
If you have enough additional time, and preferences among these methods,
rank these methods in order of preference, by placing a 1 in the box by your
1st choice, a 2 by your 2nd choice, etc:
A1 [ ]
A2 [ ]
A3 [ ]
A4 [ ]
B1 [ ]
[end of ballot]
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