MR. FISHER'S SYSTEM OF VOTING.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 646, 25 October 1909, Page 3

MR. FISHER'S SYSTEM OF VOTING.

, Sir,—Would it be permissible for anou-poli-- ■ tician to point out a • possible defect in tho r proposed preferential system of voting, at Parliamentary elections? The supposed caso is "as follows:—A (Government) and B (Opposition) are the favoured candidates, while C (Independent) has practically,no- following. Wo will . suppose that, in their eagerness to ' exclude the other candidate, the respective supporters of A and B give in each case their .roto to C. • There arc to be 400 voters, let us say. .1. Where C gets no preferential votes - A gets 200 firsts and 200 thirds, equalling 200 x '.1 x. 200, equalling goo B gets 200 first and >200-thirds,--, equalling 200 x 3 x 200, equalling §00 C gets 400 seconds, requalhng 800 And the result,is a deadlock. ~■■ 2. Whero CI-gets a few . first .preferential votes.-v Result:— . . ' ' . , A (Govt.) C(lndep't.) B(Oppos'n.) Firsts ... 175 x 3—525 r 50x3—150 175x3—525 Seconds 231 2- 50 350 x 2-700 25x2- 50 Thirds ... 200x1-200 . ' ' 200 s I—2otf ' '5 ■ 850 ... 775 And C is duly returned. Though entirely sup- ' positional, tho above caso is by no means impossible. It could well bo illustrated in the last elections, in the case of a. town not ICO miles from Wellington, whore, although C would have undoubtedly been elected under the preferential system, yet either A or B would have been supremely preferable in tho . eye of the electors (and .even in the town's interests), the' only reason for C's support being tho anxiety of A's and B's supporters to ensure the return of their respective candidate. To ensure, the, return of their candidate, AV supporters, < for instance, would feel themselves brand to nullify B's chances by plating him last on the list, although they preferred him to C, and little thought ' that' C/. ijould be elected. . • • . With these defects the system is no more an * improvement on the old system than the Second Ballot is.. . Hoping that I am not splitting straws,' but merely-showing tho possibilities of,an, apparently perfect system.—l am, etc., E.G.G.S.?