Voting systems and election rules for Accurate Democracy

Social Goals for
Voting Rules

Introduction to voting systems, chapter contents

These democratic goals for elections and legislation preview topics on the main pages. (Mathematical criteria for voting systems appear in the supplementary math pages.)

Elections:

Give voters real choices of candidates who can win,
  by electing fair shares of reps from all major groups.
  That encourages a wide variety of candidates,
  discussion of issues, and voter turnout.

Ensure minority rights to voting and representation.

Reduce the numbers of wasted votes and districts
with noncompetitive "safe seats".
Reduce campaign hysteria and regional polarization.

Reduce the effects of spoilers, gerrymanders and
unequal campaign funding.

Legislation:

Give fair representation to all major groups, so the
council may enact laws with real majorities.

Select a central moderator with wide appeal to be
the swing voter in between interest-group advocates.

Reduce chances and effects of manipulation.
Detach poison-pill and free-rider amendments.
Reduce policy deadlocks and upheavals.

Give all reps equal funds for projects and agencies.
And make each rep's spending visible to her voters.

Strengthen Democracy: Expand the popular base of power.

In a one-winner contest, the best rules raise the number of votes the winner needs from a plurality to a majority, increasing the winner's mandate.

In a multi-winner contest, the best rules raise the total votes needed to fill all the council seats, increasing the mandate for the council's majority. (These rules also lower the share of votes required to win one seat at the council.)

Voting for	Old rules	New rules
Chairperson	the plurality	a majority
Council	pluralities	over three quarters
Budget	a few power blocs	all members
Policy	a one-sided majority	the over-all majority

The best legislative rules follow the patterns of the best electoral rules.

These rules are fast, easy and fair. They organize big groups backing popular choices.

The #1 goal is "the greatest happiness for the greatest number."
The best means are broadly-popular, centrally-balanced policies.
To enact those inclusive well-centered policies, councils need diverse reps, central reps, and fair procedures.

The diverse reps form an inclusive and balanced council.
The central reps form a balance point for council majorities.
The policy procedure finds the 1 bill a majority supports over any other.

We can create a new type of democracy between adversarial and consensual:
Multi-winner rules to elect reps and fund proposals give each group their fair share of power without letting a minority block action. Policy decisions by ensemble councils using Condorcet's rule also may follow a less adversarial path than winner take all.

Steering Analogy

When it comes to voting rules, a new Mercedes costs little more than an old clunker. The added cost is certainly worthwhile if the vote leads to important budgets or policies. Each dollar spent to count ballots may steer $10,000 in taxes.
Does your car have an 1890 "steering tiller" or a new, power-assisted steering wheel? Does your organization have an 1890 voting rule or a new, balanced and centered rule?
Today's drivers need the skill to use power steering — but they do not need the skill to build a car or the math and logic to engineer one. Same with voters and voting rules.

Three Propositions for Accurate Democracy

Democracy's greatest risk may come from inside: from systems that work poorly. Teach your friends and associates:

Accurate representation selects central and diverse reps.
Accurate legislation enacts the 1 policy that beats all others.
Accurate democracy gives power in proportion to popularity.

Many people are excited to learn that democracy does not have to mean winner take all. Instead it can lead to everyone having their fair share of representation and power. It is easy and it works.

The next page contrasts two political philosophies about the purpose of elections.

Accurate Democracy
	Electoral Systems	Legislative Systems
Introduction Primer Workshop Teacher's guide Philosophy Quotes game Goals, Print Quotes Anti democracy Ads versus info	Chair	Reps	Council	Policy	Projects	Budgets