The United States Needs Approval Voting
The US government is only as strong as the voting method that elects it. Our current method elects inferior candidates because of vote splitting, and it alienates new ideas because people fear throwing their vote away. Despite this failure, the voting method is unfortunately the last place we look.
No more. Our vote-for-one method is hideously out of date, and it's time the world knows it. The US needs Approval Voting. Simply let people choose as many candidates as they want (no complicated ranking). This puts a grip on vote splitting. And people can fearlessly vote their favorites, every time.
The US deserves a smarter democracy. It deserves Approval Voting. We hope our video shows just how simple and effective Approval Voting is.
28 comments
Douglas Cantrell • about 13 years ago
With regard to bullet voting, it should be noted that voters don't always vote for their favorite candidate in the current system. They sometimes vote for a candidate that is both likable and apparently viable, instead.
For these voters, the ability to also vote for their favorite candidate is a clear advantage of approval voting. This is also beneficial in a more general sense because it makes it possible for popular candidates to win even if nobody thinks that they can.
Aaron Hamlin • about 13 years ago
That's right on, Douglas. Even more, those previously brushed off candidates can enter into the political discussion. Frequently, independents and third parties are excluded from debates. But you can imagine the difficulty in excluding candidates when under Approval Voting they're polling at 20, 30, and 40% approval.
Because of this, Approval Voting expands the political discussion. That means more competition. And there's nothing a healthy democracy feeds on more than competition.
Harlan Johnson • about 13 years ago
If I were a judge, you'd be on my short list. You fit the criteria as well as I do. Look at my submission. "Elections Clarified" https://vimeo.com/64616892 or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQZSII6C3-A Maybe we can work together some way. I'd love to hear from you.