Instead of whining about NADER as a spoiler, push for Instant Runoff Voting in your state

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

Dems control legislatures in most swing states. The idea is always popular with voters. It lets electors be determined in a more representative manner. Why not do it?

[halobeam]

1. just asking to learn...

is that like first,second, third choice?

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

2. yep

that's the one

and states make rules determing how electors are selected, so this could be done in state-by-state fights

[Az]

3. Instant Runoff Voting

IRV has you number the candidates according to your preference. Low to high. Lets say you like Nader so you vote for him as your 1st choice. Kucinich could be your number 2 vote, Edwards number 3 and so on until you get to the Repub candidate.

The number one votes are all tallied. If no candidate has 50% or more the candidate with the lowest number of votes is removed and all the ballots that were cast for him are moved on to their number 2 spot. These votes are added to the tallies and the process repeats until someone has a 50%+ majority.

In this way no votes are thrown away. You can vote for the candidate that most resembles your position without fear of losing your voice.

[nam78_two]

4. I am a big supporter of IRV

If there are any obvious problems with it, I would be happy to learn about them, but from what I know of it, it seems like an excellent system to me.

[Az]

6. It will never happen

In order to bring about IRV it would require a 2/3 vote of the senate. But as the electoral college stands right now it favors small states over big therefor we will never be able to convince politicians from small states to override their own interest and discard their advantage.

I love IRV to. But I do not believe it will happen.

[nam78_two]

8. Yeah that is pretty much how I see it too :-/.nt

[depakid]

13. It'll never happen

America has a deeply dysfunctional government and as you mentioned, there are systemic reasons why this will never change.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

16. senate only necessary for a national vote

states get to select means for picking elctors. there's one state (new hampshire, i think) that uses proportional selction, for instance

[patrice]

5. Excellent suggestion!

And you don't get to gripe about Nader unless you do!

[Selatius]

7. IRV is basically condensing run-off voting into one voting session

It saves money, and it also gives voters more freedom to speak their conscience.

If you want to vote for Kucinich 1st and Al Gore or Hillary 2nd, go ahead.

When the votes come in and Kucinich isn't the top two, then your second preference (Gore or Hillary) would be counted. In this way, you avoid splitting the vote and handing it to the Republican.

[PhilipShore]

9. The powers that be (DLC and Repukes) would never agree to give...

that much power to the people.

[Selatius]

15. It's about as difficult to implement as proportional representation

For the same reasons:

Namely, it's a threat to the two-party grip on power.

[LoZoccolo]

10. The Naderites will then vote for Nader with no second choice.

They've already shown a propensity for trying to destroy America and letting people die.

[PhilipShore]

12. That is not true, in the 2000 election many Green Democrats...

left the Nader campaign -- after they learned that Nader was working for the GOP campaign. They either left to the Dems or traded their vote in swing states. Nader in 2000 it is estimated lost 50% of his support, when the Nader Raiders left. If IRV was in the 2000 election -- 90% or more would of voted Nader then Gore or Gore then Nader, depending on swing vote states, etc.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

17. disagree with your take, but

if they're that committed then it doesn't matter if ralph runs or not. you wouldn't get their votes, so why complain?

[Idioteque]

11. IRV is very very bad...

The Condorcet method is so much better.

[PhilipShore]

14. Kick and Recommend

:kick:

[dsc]

18. This would likely be bad for minority candidates

Both Barack Obama and Carol Mosely-Braun would have never won their Senate Primaries under that system. There is a reason that many deep Southern states require runoffs while virtually no other states do. The deep Southern states have substantial but minority African American populations that could win three way races but can't win two way races.