Content Authored by Chris Marchsteiner
1 - 10 of 12 results
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GOP Rolls the Dice in 2012 with Plurality, Winner-Take-All Rules
- Posted: December 2, 2010
- Author(s): , Chris Marchsteiner, Rob Richie
- Categories: Home
No elected office in the world matters more than the presidency of the United States. Given that reality, it’s remarkable that our method of electing it can have such flaws.
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From the "Non-Majority Rule" Desk: Post-Election Wrap-Up, IRV in Oakland, and Looking to 2012
- Posted: November 23, 2010
- Author(s): Chris Marchsteiner, The Non-Majority Rule Desk
- Categories: Ranked Choice Voting
The counting and recounting of ballots in the 2010 elections is nearly over. In a final wrap-up blog from the Non-Majority Rule desk, we review the role of so-called “spoilers” in a few more very close elections. We also offer a preview of what’s in store in 2012, starting with the wide-open contest for the Republican nomination, and highlight media attention to a city offering a better means to elect winners: Oakland, with its ranked choice system of instant runoff voting.
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From the "Non-Majority Rule" Desk: Election Day Coverage of Non-Majority Winners and Spoilers
- Posted: November 3, 2010
- Author(s): Chris Marchsteiner, The Non-Majority Rule Desk
- Categories: Ranked Choice Voting, Reforms
Whether you are registered as a Democrat, Republican, independent, or third party, today should be a day for reflection on the flaws that obstruct true democracy in the United States.
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From the "Non-Majority Rule" Desk: Pre-Election Roundup for Races with Potential Spoilers, Democrats' Dirty Tricks, and Howard Dean's Support for Majority Winner Elections
- Posted: October 27, 2010
- Author(s): Chris Marchsteiner, The Non-Majority Rule Desk
- Categories: Ranked Choice Voting
In our final pre-election blog from the non-majority rule desk, evidence of the spoiler effect in this election cycle is still strong: many races remain too close to call.
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From the "Non-Majority Rule" Desk: Plurality Rules Cause Voters to Abandon Their True Preferences
- Posted: October 20, 2010
- Author(s): Chris Marchsteiner, The Non-Majority Rule Desk
- Categories: Ranked Choice Voting
As November approaches, several major races for governor and U.S. Senate have three candidates polling in double digits, with no candidate close to a majority. That fact and likely ultimate outcome in several races shows the defects of a plurality, vote-for-one system where the majority can split its votes and lose. But plurality voting also creates an ongoing problem for voters who end up abandoning their true preferences.
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From the "Non-Majority Rule" Desk: Fake Third Party Candidates, Meek's Mixed Support, and the Unusual Cases of Illinois and Minnesota
- Posted: October 13, 2010
- Author(s): Chris Marchsteiner, The Non-Majority Rule Desk
- Categories: Ranked Choice Voting
There’s no shortage of news at the non-majority rule desk. The lead story this week was yet another instance of faux third party candidates, this time in a New Jersey U.S. House race.
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From the "Non-Majority Rule" Desk: Independent Presidential Candidates, the Spoiler Effect, and Party Betrayal
- Posted: October 5, 2010
- Author(s): Chris Marchsteiner, The Non-Majority Rule Desk
- Categories: Ranked Choice Voting
It was another notable week here at the non-majority desk, including nationally prominent ruminations about third parties and independents, including Thomas Friedman of the New York Times predicting an independent presidential bid in 2012 and FiveThirtyEight.com's Nate Silver suggesting such a campaign could succeed.
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From the "Non-Majority Rule" Desk: Undemocratic Rules Produce Undemocratic Results -- Even With Majority Victories
- Posted: September 28, 2010
- Author(s): Chris Marchsteiner, The Non-Majority Rule Desk
- Categories: Ranked Choice Voting
This week at the Non-Majority Rule desk I’m going to focus on lessons from two important developments in statewide races: the U.S. Senate race in Alaska and the race for governor in New York. Recent developments in the two states’ races demonstrate another aspect of the dangers of plurality voting: How it can shortcut democracy even when majority victories are ultimately produced.
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From the "Non-Majority Rule" Desk: Murkowski's Write-in Candidacy and Other Significant Third Party Candidates
- Posted: September 22, 2010
- Author(s): Chris Marchsteiner, The Non-Majority Rule Desk
- Categories: Ranked Choice Voting
Third party and independent candidates continue to have a major impact on several statewide races for governor and U.S. Senate. Indeed, there are 8 states where candidates are polling at more than 10% - the latest being Lisa Murkowski, the sitting U.S. Senator from Alaska who lost her Republican primary, but who now is pursuing a write-in candidacy. At least one race might join them – New York, where Rick Lazio lost the Republican primary, but remains the Conservative Party nominee. Voters certainly seem hungry for more options – a Gallup poll found that 58% support a strong third party in the United States. Here’s a rundown of some of the week’s news from the “non-majority rule” desk.
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Non-Majority Winners and Partisan Manipulation in the Gubernatorial Races and Primaries
- Posted: September 15, 2010
- Author(s): Chris Marchsteiner
- Categories: Ranked Choice Voting
Building on previous blogs about non-majority rules in primaries and prospective ones in this November’s general elections, FairVote plans a weekly update from the “non-majority rule desk” – with an understanding that there’s a solution available and being put into practice in a growing number of communities: instant runoff voting.