[Mpls] Bullet Balloting math

[David Weinlick]

nikkicarlson001 at aol.com wrote:

> On the math of bullet balloting:
> 
>If you consider the votes for a particular candidate the numerator of a fraction and the total votes cast as the denominator, if you vote for only one candidate you are increasing the weight of your vote.
>  
>
This is true, but only to a limited extent.  It increases the single 
candidate's chances of beating the candidates for whom you would have 
voted if you had not bullet-balloted.  It does not increase in any way 
your single candidate's chances of beating a candidate for whom you 
would not have voted in the first place.  So, if you truly have no 
preferences among any of the other candidates, then bullet-balloting is 
the way to go.  If, however, you have any preferences whatsoever among 
the other five candidates running for Park Board, then bullet-balloting 
does not make sense, because you are only weakening your second- and 
third-choice candidates.  If your one choice doesn't make it, your vote 
doesn't do a darn thing.  If you really want preferences to count more 
fully on election day, you need to learn more about alternative voting 
systems to the one we have today...IRV, Condorcet, STV, Borda, approval, 
etc.

Check out these web sites:

http://www.FairVoteMN.org
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voting_system

I'm sure that you will see more about IRV in the coming months, as the 
push increases to put it on the ballot in 2006.

David Weinlick
Armatage