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That only works if everyone follows it, which they don't for a host of good and bad reasons. Imagine 100 informed people understand the issue; 60 vote for it a
by mLuby 7y ago
That only works if everyone follows it, which they don't for a host of good and bad reasons.
Imagine 100 informed people understand the issue; 60 vote for it and 40 against. But 500 uninformed people like the celebrity who opposes the issue so the final vote is 60 to 540.
At this point, I'd be happy just to see that could-vote demographics are proportional to did-vote demographics. We're nowhere close, and it shows.
- cgriswald 7y agoWhat is the value of a low could-vote:did-vote ratio in the absence of informed voters? I can see why keeping this ratio high appeals to governments and politicians. It grants them more legitimacy, even if the votes are entirely uninformed. I also see why motivating particular demographics to vote appeals to certain candidates: voters in particular demographics tend to vote for particular candidates/causes/parties. But as an informed voter I'm better off if there are fewer uniformed voters, because my vote becomes more powerful. And as a citizen, I'm probably better off if the majority of voters are informed, even if they don't always vote in my personal best interests.