Billy had a PhD and Sarah was a teacher. They were getting married, but had a problem with their entrée. Billy and his friends wanted Filet Mignon. Sarah and her friends insisted on Chicken Marsala.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4gcaNf9meZNhoVGma_XiVaa4G3NgHeyo4f5RHHS7MI-o0dkQ4l3tMyFaCwUYpDwfjaxxZOEC91S6-Y5pkk8izsmdMx-9vRxXBwkD2M84VUI5gHtDdZb4EnukjxP2MSwxrK4AVLX12gpz-/s320/BrideAndGroom.jpg)
Since Billy and Sarah were political junkies, they decided to let their guests choose. They added a ballot to the RSVP in the invitations.
To make things interesting, they added Calamari (squid) which they thought few guests would pick. And burger and fries as a joke.
Sarah’s Ballot
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisKM4-kP7FS5vV7jgj-XTtqTPBZuW0qE5gXLiXuHPdr8pTw3eo4D6oSQubuIy0h-LtxIvh-WkfJKYy4v_XESGEuZw9aQcSlCKfXEu1nmusMC923wRemZA3CpyB8Na0YqmJBfn6UNjAbaTv/s320/BallotFPTP2.png)
Billy’s Ballot
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_R-6hwqeaJS6YixTxK3rZW5xDf5HiEP9bxXcNW7qWaqvM_fQ8sHBxyGbv0gvfzHhPw9qUeHtV4DUuGtDG4Fyb7dTyTdMZNUouy09YhSZCu1ptvWt2bAMAj0xAI4RQw49bBcaBRS9T982s/s320/BallotFPTP1.png)
When they counted the votes they found, to their horror, burger and fries had won!
First-Past-the-Post results
Entrée | Votes |
---|---|
Calamari | 8 |
Filet Mignon | 28 |
Chicken Marsala | 31 |
Burger and Fries | 33 |
Total | 100 |
Although the vast majority of guests likely wanted a fitting wedding feast, the vote was split allowing the absurd choice to win.
Since Sarah and Billy didn’t want to get stuck with a choice that would ruin their wedding, they decided to resend the ballots asking guests to rank their choices this time.
This would allow them to have a say if their first choice wasn’t in the running. (Their vote wouldn’t be wasted.)
Sarah’s Ballot
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTW7YaGdnxbFZKHyv2bmJH1I3rQSZNs_oP4MKXu5ugJVE2gEVvI1z3VMWriSmcdUxn7mTrLTC6HS24GjtxTNOpN_gEZP6cP8srv-_PqWMBs0W3Q_qSGfyTdDZ3JnSJLJehSeEHifHAQpl4/s320/BallotPV2.png)
Billy’s Ballot
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjefkjgYhVp5wE0ctj2c4rk2EO22LC5TxJtwe35osVvvDIiIbT0113xPlpqjrKUcYMU3huYQLv3eu9ntLI8NCXIsV3a2csBgQY5e1FNAOAJEwxipevOAi6Hm_IlLfq6eIEQxOMeTsGRgjT8/s320/BallotPV1.png)
Sarah and Billy got the ballots back and counted them. On the first round, they got the same results as before. But instant runoff rounds eliminated last-place choices and transferred alternative votes:
Preferential Voting: 1st round
Entrée | Votes |
---|---|
Calamari | 8 |
Filet Mignon | 28 |
Chicken Marsala | 31 |
Burger and Fries | 33 |
Total | 100 |
PV: 2nd instant runoff round
Entrée | Votes | Alt Votes |
---|---|---|
Filet Mignon | 31 | +3 |
Chicken Marsala | 36 | +5 |
Burger and Fries | 33 | |
Total | 100 |
PV: 3rd instant runoff round
Entrée | Votes | Alt Votes |
---|---|---|
Chicken Marsala | 67 | +31 |
Burger and Fries | 33 | |
Total | 100 |
When guests’ alternative choices were factored in, they overwhelmingly preferred a proper wedding entrée.
The simple ballot system — First-Past-the-Post — produces distorted results that can saddle people with the opposite of what they want. Preferential Voting ensures the real will of the people is carried out.
A fitting wedding feast would give guests a choice of entrée, not force them all to eat the same one.
ReplyDeleteWell sometimes the people only have one choice: mayor of a city, leader of a party, winner of an Oscar, Member of Parliament (under our current Westminster system of democracy.) When that happens, we must make sure the choice is democratic: supported by a majority of people.
DeleteI think it's best to first make our existing system democratic with Preferential Voting. Then hold a PR/PV referendum. This way only democratic voting systems are in the running.