Yankee_Biker of Augusta, ME It doesn't matter what system we institute. The Dems will clean out the insane asylums, flop houses, graveyards and indoctrination centers (college dorms). Then when they lose anyway they will cry foul.

How do they expect to win an election anyway? They got beat by what they call "the worst president ever" twice. Now they're campaigning against him again and he's not even on the ballotreport abuse

Andy Cilek of Eden Prairie, MN Don't fall into the same trap as every other editorial board, IRV does NOT ensure a majority winner.

First, the objection to a plurality system is misguided. The Founding Founders gave us a Constitutional Republic, not a majority-rule Democracy, because they knew pure majority rule often leads to tyranny.


Second, IRV doesn't solve this imagined "flaw" anyway, it merely creates the illusion of a majority (and a false mandate). Once 2nd & 3rd choices are tallied (because nobody got 50% + 1 of first choices) the winner has only an artificially fabricated majority.

Third, IRV fails to ensure an accurate measure of voter intent because some voters have secondary choices counted while others do not, AND, voters cast votes NOT knowing who the runoff candidates will be or how their votes will be affected by other voters. Thus, any claims of a true majority victory have to be considered false and misleading.

We believe a plurality system better reflects the will of the voters than the "fabricated" majority likely created by IRV. This is NOT to say we prefer representatives who agree with only a minority of voters; merely that a plurality winner is perfectly acceptable in a three-way (or more) election, especially in a representative republican form of government.

Food for thought - Ironically, IRV doesn't even guarantee a majority will be elected! If no majority is produced after all rankings are tallied, the one with the most votes is declared the winner!

Please visit our website for a much clearer understanding of IRV and our legal challenge against it.

Thank you,

Andy Cilek
Minnesota Voters Alliance
www.MNVoters.orgreport abuse