h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I asked this question some time ago and haven't really got a definitive reply one way or the other: do you want to do a collaborative entry on voting systems, seeing as it appears to be a shared bugbear? Say Yes, and I might even end up voting LibDem

Yes

Indeed I did start an entry on that ages ago let me go dig up the link.

Did you stand as an PPP or a councillor, BTW? Or even as a prospective MSP?

How do you suggest we tackle this, btw?

I was a Parliamentary Candidate last time out. I will be a council candidate in two years time d.v.

ONce I dig out the old article I will atapt it and add to writing workshop how does taht sound?

Sounds fine. I'll but in with some comments once it's in WW

I thought a good way of starting might be with Churchill's quote about democracy being a bloody awful system of government, and then describing how people have tried to improve it.

http://www.quotecha.com/quotes/quotation_16578.html

YOu can go back further than that, Lloyd George or even Gladstone.

Well, you dig 'em up, and we can put 'em in

I can't remember which page the excellent quoate of LG's was I'm now on Volume 3 of his biog.

Will have to look up the indices.

How about starting the entry descring FPTP and pure PR, and then we can talk about the systems in between, like AV, STV, AM etc.

There is no such thing as pure PR it does depend on the system used.

I found my original article on PR voting systems here A863723

There is such as thing as pure PR: Israel had it for a while and probably still does. This is why there are little one-person parties who can tip the balance of power.

I've not read through the original entry, but I think we need more info on other systems and less on the AV/STV method

I also, now I come to think of it, suggest that we have a section at the bottom as to why the clamour for voting reform is growing in this country.

http://www.independent.co.uk/cfd/democracy.jsp

I'm joining. Are you?

Follow up from an earlier point...

http://www.knesset.gov.il/description/eng/eng_mimshal_beh.htm

Party List is the way Isreal vote is it not?

I agree with you regarding the format. I think we can do a series of articles to actually explain the different systems. This was my original intention for someone else originally asking me a question refarding the difference between STV and AV.

I don't think we do, actually. I think we could probably describe each system in one or two paragraphs. How about this for a description of AV:
'Instead of having a single choice of candidate, each ballot paper allows the voter to rank candidates in order of preference. When all the votes are collected, all the first choices are counted. If not candidate has an overall majority - i.e. more than 50% of the votes - the weakest candidate is eliminated. All the first preference votes for that candidate are then allocated to the other candidates on the basis of the second preferences recorded on the ballot papers.

This process is then repeated - reallocating third, fourth, fifth preferences - until a candidate emerges with an overall majority'.

Now (a) have I got this right and (b) does it explain the process clearly enough?

You know that and I know that but it is hardlyt palin English and comprehensible