A Voting Theory Primer For Rationalists

by Jameson Quinn

This is an excellent article and a comprehensive overview of voting systems science by the man many consider to be leading research in the field. Jameson Quinn is Vice-Chair and Director at the Center For Election Science and is now a statistics Ph.D. candidate at Harvard University where his research focuses on voting systems.

Excerpt: "Rated runoff methods (in particular STAR and 3-2-1): These are methods where rated ballots are used to reduce the field to two candidates, who are then compared pairwise using those same ballots. They combine the VSE advantages of score or approval with extra resistance to the chicken dilemma. These are currently my own favorites as ultimate goals for practical reform, though I still support approval as the first step."