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Irregular Times Diaries: Unfit Discussion

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Question – Instant Run-off Voting (IRV)

There is a campaign in my area promoting Instant Run-off Voting (IRV). From what I am able to understand, it is supposed to be better in that it makes candidates show majority rules, promotes clean campaigns, in that, candidates have a wider audience and will have to focus on the issues and policies and not the “slander” type ads/discussions. It is also supposed to eliminate the “wasted vote” because the voter will vote regardless but not for the lesser of two evils or not at all for that particular office.

True? Not True? Will a system give us a better government?

Thanks

Laurie O

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Date: August 2, 2006

Author: Laurie O

Categories: general

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(405 votes, average: 2.96 out of 5)

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  jclifford

  in August 2nd, 2006 @ 10:32

  Well, it’s hard to say what will make the elections cleaner.

  Personally, I’m not opposed to negative campaigning. It’s important to hear criticisms of candidates, and whether the criticisms are valid or not must be decided by the voter.

  With all the discussion of changes to the mechanisms of elections, like this idea, and the idea of public financing of elections, I think that an important point is being missed: Most Americans don’t vote, and most of those who do vote don’t take the time to educate themselves on the issues before they vote.

  What we really need to reform are the American people’s attitudes about education and civic duty. No simple campaign will get that done. No change to election law will enable it.

  We get unscrupulous leaders in large part because we have lazy citizens who don’t care enough to act to make a difference. Yes, there are many who do care, and many who do act – but they’re in the minority.

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  Jim

  in August 2nd, 2006 @ 10:41

  Well, OK, jclifford, I agree with you, but I think there’s more to it than that. There’s the considerable problem that in a majority of this year’s Senate races, the Democratic Party candidates have been anointed rather than chosen via primary. So regardless of whether one votes, one doesn’t get to choose the alternatives.

  I like instant runoff voting because it allows people to vote their ideals, while not taking away their ability to vote practically. Select your dream candidate, but also identify your backup! That maximizes choice, which is really nice.

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  Yo.be

  in August 4th, 2006 @ 15:37

  Be practical, jclifford: do you want IRV or not?
  Here’s someone posting a question to ‘educate himself on the issue’ and all you seem to offer is: don’t bother with that, the problem lays elsewhere…

  I’m still a fan of representative elections, but in the case of run off election, IRV is definately a step forwards. It makes the whole thing more representative, as Jim has pointed out. The posibility to show you actually like A, but still help to elect B, can actually bring more people to the booth.
  It would also back-up or falsify ‘we have a broad mandate’-claims.

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  Yo.be

  in August 4th, 2006 @ 15:43

  mm, Laurie sounded like Larry at first, but now i’m thinking it might be more like Laura… well… what’s in a name?

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  Laurie O

  in August 4th, 2006 @ 22:57

  I’ve been called worse.

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  Jim

  in August 4th, 2006 @ 22:58

  Laurie, I’m curious: what do you think of instant runoff voting?

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  Laurie O

  in August 5th, 2006 @ 09:50

  I think for right now it could be used for the primaries and start the process out in lower elections like city, school board etc.
  I also feel that unless other loopholes arent plugged like campaign financing, debates (unless the candidate has atleast XX% of
  the polls not worthy to debate). But politicians have always found away around our ways of making things fair. So I like the idea,
  I would like to have a choice, I would like to see a campaign of issues instead of gossip, rumor, and hate.

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