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If the difference is only 11 people, it doesn't seem too much of a stretch to say the result doesn't matter, both candidates got the same number of votes within
by jzwinck 6y ago
If the difference is only 11 people, it doesn't seem too much of a stretch to say the result doesn't matter, both candidates got the same number of votes within a very small margin of error (which will never be zero).
Either you decide the two candidates were both good and there was no clear decision to elect one over the other, or you set up a voting system where such close races result in some totally different outcome, such as both people enter parliament for a shorter time, having a tie breaker of some kind, etc.
- Spivak 6y agoThis assumes that voting in the US is a form of collective decision making, that’s the effect sure, but because politics are so tribal it’s actually a game of taking territory. Within a party equal votes implies what you suggest but that doesn’t hold in the actual elections.
- newacct583 6y agoWhat if the marginal/toss-up victories like this always end up going to one party? Is that still fair?
- jzwinck 6y agoGood question. If it's a US style political system with only two viable parties, you could award near-ties alternately to each party. After all, if 50.1% of people vote for for party A every time, it is nonsense that party B with 49.9% never spends one day in office.