5 ms·

I don't think other system require "playing the game" in the same way as approval voting. You can game any voting system by voting strategically, but approval v

I don't think other system require "playing the game" in the same way as approval voting. You can game any voting system by voting strategically, but approval voting seems unique in actually expecting people to have to vote strategically.

ClayShentrup 11y ago
You can vote strategically in any deterministic voting method. There's nothing special about Approval Voting. People can vote honestly based on whether they approve (have a favorable opinion of) a candidate. Or they can be tactical and base the decision on probability of winning.
- eru 11y ago
  And in approval voting at least your strategy is very close to honesty. Your strategic consideration only consists in choosing a cutoff.
eru 11y ago
> I don't think other system require "playing the game" in the same way as approval voting. You must be joking? Almost no one ever votes their true preference in first-past-the-post. People usually vote for the lesser evil of the top two candidates, because any other strategy (like voting for who you'd actually like to win the election) just wastes your vote. In any case, check out eg https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Approval_voting https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Approval_voting for other people's thoughts on the system. There's much more online about all aspects and pros and cons that we don't need to rehash.
- winstonewert 11y ago
  Sorry, I tend to think of FPTP as being so messed up it doesn't qualify as a voting system. I was comparing approval voting to alternatives like Ranked Pairs/IRV/Borda etc.
  - eru 11y ago
    Oh, OK. I am arguing for Approval Voting because it's the simplest voting system up from FPTP, and easy to explain. Borda Count really invites the gaming, though. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borda_count#Potential_for_tactical_manipulation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borda_count#Potential_for_tact...
    - winstonewert 11y ago
      I get where you are coming from on Approval Voting. The simplicity of the system is very attractive.
      - eru 11y ago
        Other systems might be slightly better. But Approval Voting is dead simple to explain, and you don't even need new ballot papers compared to plurality.
        ClayShentrup 11y ago
        The only system that's generally better is Score Voting aka Range Voting. But you want to _avoid_ ranked voting methods. http://ScoreVoting.net/NESD.html http://ScoreVoting.net/NESD.html
        eru 11y ago
        I'm pretty convinced that for single winner elections approval voting is pretty great. I haven't convinced myself when multiple people can get elected.
        winstonewert 11y ago
        I don't think the argument presented there works. Consider the example with A, B, and C at the end. It claims that approval voting would probably elect C, but why? If the voters apply perfect strategy, B supporters won't approve C, and B will win. The same is true of range voting, where B supporters will give C a rating of zero. It does not seem escapable that a majority voter block can dictate their wishes on the whole population by exaggerating their stated preferences.

ClayShentrup 11y ago

You can vote strategically in any deterministic voting method. There's nothing special about Approval Voting. People can vote honestly based on whether they approve (have a favorable opinion of) a candidate. Or they can be tactical and base the decision on probability of winning.

eru 11y ago
And in approval voting at least your strategy is very close to honesty. Your strategic consideration only consists in choosing a cutoff.

eru 11y ago

> I don't think other system require "playing the game" in the same way as approval voting. You must be joking? Almost no one ever votes their true preference in first-past-the-post. People usually vote for the lesser evil of the top two candidates, because any other strategy (like voting for who you'd actually like to win the election) just wastes your vote. In any case, check out eg https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Approval_voting https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Approval_voting for other people's thoughts on the system. There's much more online about all aspects and pros and cons that we don't need to rehash.

winstonewert 11y ago
Sorry, I tend to think of FPTP as being so messed up it doesn't qualify as a voting system. I was comparing approval voting to alternatives like Ranked Pairs/IRV/Borda etc.
- eru 11y ago
  Oh, OK. I am arguing for Approval Voting because it's the simplest voting system up from FPTP, and easy to explain. Borda Count really invites the gaming, though. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borda_count#Potential_for_tactical_manipulation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borda_count#Potential_for_tact...
  - winstonewert 11y ago
    I get where you are coming from on Approval Voting. The simplicity of the system is very attractive.
    - eru 11y ago
      Other systems might be slightly better. But Approval Voting is dead simple to explain, and you don't even need new ballot papers compared to plurality.
      - ClayShentrup 11y ago
        The only system that's generally better is Score Voting aka Range Voting. But you want to _avoid_ ranked voting methods. http://ScoreVoting.net/NESD.html http://ScoreVoting.net/NESD.html
        eru 11y ago
        I'm pretty convinced that for single winner elections approval voting is pretty great. I haven't convinced myself when multiple people can get elected.
        winstonewert 11y ago
        I don't think the argument presented there works. Consider the example with A, B, and C at the end. It claims that approval voting would probably elect C, but why? If the voters apply perfect strategy, B supporters won't approve C, and B will win. The same is true of range voting, where B supporters will give C a rating of zero. It does not seem escapable that a majority voter block can dictate their wishes on the whole population by exaggerating their stated preferences.