• Liz@midwest.social
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    5 months ago

    I’d prefer Approval Voting, RCV has really been over-sold and it practically the same to FPTP anyway. In RCV elections, the first round winner ultimately wins the race 96% of the time. That article tries to claim it somehow makes a difference in campaigns, but in a practical sense, it doesn’t. Campaigns rarely say “rank me second,” because of course not. Who would aim for second place? It also has unfortunate consequences with disenfranchising poor and minority communities, because they end up submitting invalid ballots at a significantly higher rate.

    Anyway, so if you’re all like “stop attacking RCV it’s better than FPTP!” Well, I agree, but use that energy to run a referendum campaign and switch your local elections to Approval Voting instead. It’s used in both Fargo and St. Louis and we’re seeing the same positive effects that RCV has without the voter disenfranchisement.

    • disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      I agree with using Approval Rating over RCV. However I don’t agree that RCV would yield the same results as FPTP in our heavily polarized Presidential election political climate. With most citizens putting a third-party candidate between their party and the opposing party, third-parties would be quickly identified as the ideal place for a moderate candidate. PACs would immediately capitalize on that opportunity to maintain a centrist in office. It could potentially yield worse results in the long term.

      I’d love to see the National Popular Vote bill get passed. It’s gotten much closer since its inception. 209/270 electoral votes in total have signed. It would circumvent the Electoral College and equalizing the voting power of citizens over land, and be a massive step towards ease of implementation of new voting systems.

      https://www.nationalpopularvote.com/home

      • Liz@midwest.social
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        5 months ago

        I agree that the National Popular Vote is a fantastic idea. I can’t wait to see it hit the threshold and immediately get hit with lawsuits from terrified entrenched powers.

        I strongly disagree that RCV would have a significant effect on the presidential campaign, since it has already been shown to have little effect on any other campaign. It’s also ubiquitous in Australia, with a similar two-party forcing when implemented for their single-seat elections. The only reason they have third parties is because of their proportional elections.

        • disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world
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          5 months ago

          Would you say that those elections were as polarized as our presidential elections are? Do you see my concern regarding all voters choosing their own party first, third-party second, and opposing party third? If first choice is split nearly 50/50, wouldn’t that put the third-party candidate at the top?