US Politics Thread

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KS55 said:
What system of proportional representation would you use in a ballot of two candidates?
Click to expand...
Well that in itself is a problem. CB was talking about State level though. Is it as restrictive at state level?


Edit:
Just to expand on what I’m talking about.
I’m not totally, but largely ignorant, of local, state and college electorate, systems in America. I know the US is a federal union and different laws can apply to different states. So where does the real local power reside?

The PR-STV system here works like this.
We do have local council elections almost at parish level but our general election constituency boundaries kind of mirror them. So the same candidates in each constituency may stand for parliament.

We have a number of candidates on the ballot paper representing every party and a considerable number of independents also.
STV stands for Single Transferrable Vote.
The way this works is so;
I live in a 5 seat constituency. I get one vote. I can however put my order of preference of the candidates indicated on the ballot paper by putting a 1 against my first choice a two against second, a 3,4 , 5 etc etc,, as far down the sheet as I choose.

In this way, if my first choice candidate doesn’t reach the quota tally and they are eliminated, all votes for that person are distributed to the second preference votes and do on down as far as is necessary as candidates are eliminated.
So theoretically my 3rd or 4th Preference vote, may well count in whether someone gets elected or not.

When all voting is counted and all seats throughout the country are filled, it is up to all involved to negotiate a majority government. This can and does involve more than two parties coming together and forming coalitions.

Now traditionally in Ireland since the founding of the state, there was always fierce rivalry between the two civil war parties, as such. One of other of them always won. Then Labour got in on the act. Coalition was inevitable but always looked upon as weak government. That myth has well and truly been blown away and now what we have is coalition is the norm.
So normal that the two old enemies are now in coalition to keep out the Sinn Fein growing popularity.

For me, for all its faults, this system is democratic and very representative.

Is there or would there ever be room for such a system in local American politics.
Would it be allowed?
 
Last edited:
mancity2012_eamo said:
Well that in itself is a problem. CB was talking about State level though. Is it as restrictive at state level?


Edit:
Just to expand on what I’m talking about.
I’m not totally, but largely ignorant, of local, state and college electorate, systems in America. I know the US is a federal union and different laws can apply to different states. So where does the real local power reside?

The PR-STV system here works like this.
We do have local council elections almost at parish level but our general election constituency boundaries kind of mirror them. So the same candidates in each constituency may stand for parliament.

We have a number of candidates on the ballot paper representing every party and a considerable number of independents also.
STV stands for Single Transferrable Vote.
The way this works is so;
I live in a 5 seat constituency. I get one vote. I can however put my order of preference of the candidates indicated on the ballot paper by putting a 1 against my first choice a two against second, a 3,4 , 5 etc etc,, as far down the sheet as I choose.

In this way, if my first choice candidate doesn’t reach the quota tally and they are eliminated, all votes for that person are distributed to the second preference votes and do on down as far as is necessary as candidates are eliminated.
So theoretically my 3rd or 4th Preference vote, may well count in whether someone gets elected or not.

When all voting is counted and all seats throughout the country are filled, it is up to all involved to negotiate a majority government. This can and does involve more than two parties coming together and forming coalitions.

Now traditionally in Ireland since the founding of the state, there was always fierce rivalry between the two civil war parties, as such. One of other of them always won. Then Labour got in on the act. Coalition was inevitable but always looked upon as weak government. That myth has well and truly been blown away and now what we have is coalition is the norm.
So normal that the two old enemies are now in coalition to keep out the Sinn Fein growing popularity.

For me, for all its faults, this system is democratic and very representative.

Is there or would there ever be room for such a system in local American politics.
Would it be allowed?
Click to expand...
On a local level some US jurisdictions do indeed have stacked preference voting, especially for local elections (like school boards) and in primaries.
 
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