5 ms·

I'm saying that asking that question "should I approve of this candidate" is just as intractable as "who should I vote for" when you're on the line between two

by CarVac 8y ago

I'm saying that asking that question "should I approve of this candidate" is just as intractable as "who should I vote for" when you're on the line between two candidates. The problem with instant runoff voting is that you can actually be harming your preferred candidate by ranking them ahead of the middle candidate.

mikeash 8y ago
And I’m saying that it’s not at all intractable in a plurality system. The closer the candidates are, the less it matters who you choose. In my example, the decision of whether to “approve” of the horrible candidate has enormous stakes.
- CarVac 8y ago
  It's not that the candidates are close. It's that they're equally preferable/not preferable.
  - mikeash 8y ago
    I meant “close” in terms of preference. If you rate both of them 5/7, for example, then it’s hard to choose which one to vote for, but it’s also unimportant.