peter@ficc.uu.net (Peter da Silva) (06/29/89)
In article <1558@stl.stc.co.uk>, dww@stl.stc.co.uk (David Wright) writes: > I recall some other group proposal recently having a vote like this, so > it would not be the first to try it. talk.computers. It's not going to pass, but over the weekend I'll total up the votes and post the result of the poll on the name on Monday. -- Peter da Silva, Xenix Support, Ferranti International Controls Corporation. Business: uunet.uu.net!ficc!peter, peter@ficc.uu.net, +1 713 274 5180. Personal: ...!texbell!sugar!peter, peter@sugar.hackercorp.com.
peter@ficc.uu.net (Peter da Silva) (09/09/89)
* The Single Transferrable Vote system.
The basic idea of the Single Transferrable Vote system, or the Australian
system (so called because it was early adopted in Australia for election
to public office) is that each voter has one vote, which is transferrable
from one candidate to another.
To the voter, the mechanics are simple. The proposals are presented on the
ballot with a set of boxes. The voter writes a number in each box, based
on their preference: their favorite candidate gets a "1", then their next
favorite gets a "2" (second preference), and so on. All boxes must be
filled.
To determine the election, first the #1 votes are counted. If there is a
clear winner, then everyhing's fine. Otherwise the ballots for the
candidate with the fewest votes are re-counted, using the #2 choices.
This is repeated (discarding the votes for the lowest candidate and then
recounting the next choices on the ballots) until a winner is determined.
* Applying this to Usenet.
First, note that I didn't say anything about the criteria for selecting
a winner, whether by simple majority, a minimum number of votes, or a
particular plurality. For Usenet I would recommend the following:
1. There should be a box marked "No Group". Votes for "No Group" will not
be transferred.
2. The choices on the ballot should include every suggestion made during
the discussion period.
3. The criteria for choosing a winner should be (a) a simple majority
among the choices, and (b) 100 more votes for the winner than for
"No Group".
The ordering of the choices should be up to the person carrying out the
vote. This will unfortunately permit this person to bias the voting
by setting up a "donkey vote" (numbering the choices 1-2-3-4-5 down the
page), but I can't think of a better substitute.
* Example:
Let's say there's a vote for a group on flagburning. During the discussion
period, the following choices are presented:
a. rec.flagburning
b. talk.flagburning
c. talk.politics.flagburning
d. talk.george.bush.is.a.wimp
e. rec.arts.flagburning
f. comp.sys.tcpip.old.glory
g. No Group
The ballots (A through O) are:
A 1a 2b 3g
B 1f 2d 3b 4c 5a 6e 7g
C 1a 2b 3c 4d 5e 6f 7g
D 1a 2b 3c 4d 5e 6f 7g
E 1b 2c 3g
F 1b 2a 3c 4g
G 1a 2e 3b 4c 5g
H 1b 2c 3g
I 1a 2e 3b 4c 5g
J 1a 2e 3b 4c 5g
K 1b 2c 3g
L 1c 2b 3g
M 1c 2b 3a 4g
N 1g
O 1c 2b 3g
The #1 votes are: a-6, b-4, c-3, f-1, g-1.
No group has a simple majority. We discard the #1 votes for f.
B 2d 3b 4c 5a 6e 7g
The votes are now: a-6, b-4, c-3, d-1, g-1.
Again we discard the lowest candidate.
B 3b 4c 5a 6e 7g
Now we have: a-6, b-5, c-3, g-1.
The lowest candidate is g, "No Group", but votes for "No Group" aren't
transferred, so we discard the top votes for c.
L 2b 3g
M 2b 3a 4g
O 2b 3g
The final vote is: a-6, b-8, g-1. "talk.flagburning" is the winner (or
it would be if 8 was 100 more than 1, but you get the idea).
* Mechanical aids.
Since votes are essentially write-in anyway, it would be quite easy
to have a program that took something like this:
From: peter@ficc.uu.net
Subject: votes for rec.flagburning
To: flags@cup.portal.com
peter@ficc.uu.net (Peter da Silva)
talk.flagburning
talk.politics.flagburning
talk.religion.flagburning
NO
And ran the voting process based on these preferences.
--
Peter da Silva, *NIX support guy @ Ferranti International Controls Corporation.
Biz: peter@ficc.uu.net, +1 713 274 5180. Fun: peter@sugar.hackercorp.com. `-_-'
"...the TV reporters, who are as intelligent as electric toasters" 'U`
-- Clayton E. Cramer