to decide exactly what one would hope that the voting system would achieve - that sounds to me like a rather simple question.
A voting system should ensure that the MPs elected are representative.
Representative means having the active support or, secondarily, assent of the majority of voters.
People who do not have the active support or can demonstrate assent from a majority should not be declared elected.
Many of us have come across people who put expediency first rather than the necessity of convincing the people of their views. I'd see FTPT supporters as rejecting the view that they needed to obtain the support of the people to be in power - only enough to be one vote ahead of others even if their total vote was below 30%.
Paul
---------------------------------------------------------
Paul Bivand
Head of Analysis and Statistics
Direct Line: 020 7840 8335
Inclusion
3rd floor, 89 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7TP
Tel: 020 7582 7221
Fax: 020 7582 6391
Inclusion website: http://www.cesi.org.uk/
Consider the environment - do you really need to print this email?
The contents of this e-mail and any attachment(s) are intended solely for the use of the addressee. If you are not the intended recipient please return the e-mail to the sender and delete from your mailbox.
The Centre for Economic & Social Inclusion is a company limited by guarantee. Registered in England & Wales number 2458694. Registered address: 89 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7TP
-----Original Message-----
From: John Whittington [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 11 April 2011 15:48
To: Paul Bivand; [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: To AV or not to AV?
At 15:08 11/04/2011 +0100, Paul Bivand wrote:
>I think the dichotomy between 'making a point' and 'really wanting to win'
>isn't quite right.
>One may really want someone to win, but recognise that they are
>unlikely to do so.
Sure, but with FPTP, many people might be deterred from voting for such a party because, being realistic, they realise that it would prevent them having any direct influence over who _was_ elected. With AV, they could have the best of both those worlds.
I still think, however, that many people who have never really considered for voting for anything other than a 'mainstream' party candidate might consider such a 'making a point' gesture with AV - but I may be wrong. Provided not too many had the same idea, it wouldn't do any harm, and it could be argued as good that the 'point they made' has gone onto record.
In trying to think about the consequences of AV (as compared with FPTP), I actually wonder if it would make that much difference these days. Indeed, considering the simple 3-party situation ('Left', 'Right' & 'Centre'), if (as historically would have been the case) the 'Centre' party usually came third in terms of first choices and if (as may well be true these days), second choices of 'Centre party' voters split equally between the other two parties, it would not make any difference at all to the outcome. When it clearly does make a difference is if the 'Centre party' comes a fairly close second in the first ballot - we then presumably have the much-discussed situation of the 'Centre' party being very much favoured in the second ballot.
As I intimated in my initial message, I think that before one can attempt to express a preference for a voting system one really needs to decide exactly what one would hope that the voting system would achieve - which, as I said, I, for one, really can't decide!
Kind Regards,
John
----------------------------------------------------------------
Dr John Whittington, Voice: +44 (0) 1296 730225
Mediscience Services Fax: +44 (0) 1296 738893
Twyford Manor, Twyford, E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Buckingham MK18 4EL, UK
----------------------------------------------------------------
******************************************************
Please note that if you press the 'Reply' button your
message will go only to the sender of this message.
If you want to reply to the whole list, use your mailer's
'Reply-to-All' button to send your message automatically
to [log in to unmask]
Disclaimer: The messages sent to this list are the views of the sender and cannot be assumed to be representative of the range of views held by subscribers to the Radical Statistics Group. To find out more about Radical Statistics and its aims and activities and read current and past issues of our newsletter you are invited to visit our web site www.radstats.org.uk.
*******************************************************
