voting example

[mindstalk]

Poll on an imaginary election:

34 A > S > B > C
32 B > S > C > A
33 C > S > A > B
1 S > A > B > C

Of the four candidates, which do you think should win?

Comments

[elusiveat]

Occasionally when I am casting a vote for city council where you're supposed to vote for up to four candidates I find myself wondering if the strategic thing to do is to vote *only* for the non-incumbent candidate that I like, even though I also like several of the incumbents, on the basis that any vote I cast for a incumbent is likely to push my favorite person further down in the heap.

I feel like there could be a similar potential for trying to game the system with approval voting, although I have not checked how the numbers work out.

[mindstalk]

Strategic voting for approval is to vote for your favorite, and also for your preferred of the top two in polls, if different (and if you have reasonably reliable opinion polls). Never hurts to vote for favourite but if they're not likely to win you can influence the actual winner.