IRV
From:
Jack Ferman
Date:
May 10 04:09 UTC
Short link
> On May 8, 2008, at 10:49 PM, John Ferman wrote:
>
>> Here is a
>> question for those with expert knowledge of election law. Suppose the
>> first choice on 5,000 ballots is to a person who is eliminated on the
>> first round. Suppose 1/2 of those ballots 'bullet' vote for the
>> dropped candidate, 1/3 of those ballots leave all choices from #2 and
>> higher blank. Suppose the remaining 1/6 of those ballots have a 2nd
>> choice for either of the 2 leading candidates. Since 5/6 of 5,000
>> ballots are now invalid, they must be discarded. Suppose the election
>> was for 5 offices and 7 referendem items - the discarded ballots can
>> be counted in those 5 races and 7 issues.
I meant to say that 5/6 of those 5,000 ballots, being discarded, may
not be tallied for the other 4 races and the the 7 referendum issues.
However, consider what happened over 50 years ago - back when paper
ballots were marked with pencil. In one south Mpls preceinct there was
an especially prissy election judge. At the top of the ballot there
was an instruction to strike an X in the box - the printer used
perfectly straight strokes exactly corner to corner. There was a
further instruction to use the provided PENCIL to mark the Xs. Well,
this prissy judge invalidated ballots where the voter just checked the
box, or made a scribble in the box, or the strokes were up-down,side-
to-side, or were made with an Ink Pen (this was before ball points).
At the end of the day the pile of 'invalidated' ballots was large and
complaints were made. The situation landed in Court where the ruling
was that every mark represented the Intent of the Voter which could
not be invalidated. That ruling still binds the election judges.
Fast forwarding to 21st Century, we shall find the 'bullet' voting and
blank choices or write-in votes can not be invalidated legally.
Over the years, I have noticed that wherever an office opens up there
are many folks who come out of the woodwork to make their try for
fame. Given that IRV replaces the primary election, might it not be
unusual to have lots and lots of candidates. I can only hope the next
Mpls election might have many dozens of candidates. There will be
those who will try to erect limits on who can run for office. I nice
21st Century bit of unconstitutionality, should we say. But what the
heck the numerology comes out 51% to 49%. Modern phrenology, no less.
>>
>
>
Jack Ferman
Kingfield Neighborhood
<email obscured>