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How our voting system (and IRV) betrays your favourite candidate

The Center for Election Science · explainer · Watch on YouTube

US politics & electionsProbability & game theory

What it is

The Center for Election Science explains favorite betrayal in instant-runoff voting: in some elections, ranking your favorite first can cause your least favorite to win. It contrasts this with plurality voting's spoiler problem.

Why Hacker News recommends it

The standard link in ranked-choice voting threads to show IRV does not eliminate the spoiler effect.

  • 5 people recommended it
  • 4 different months
  • 0 strong recommendations
  • first 2014, last 2023

What HN commenters said

  1. “Regarding favorite betrayal, you might enjoy this video.”

    Explains favorite betrayal in instant-runoff voting.

    ClayShentrup, 2014-11 · Recommendation · in “Police Use Department Wish List When Deciding Which Assets to Seize”

  2. “This is a shorter video from the same source as the other reply that deals specifically with IRV”

    Shorter video dealing specifically with IRV problems.

    aninhumer, 2016-11 · Recommendation · in “Show HN: Mest – Place to talk with those you disagree with”

  3. “I always recommend this pair of videos when discussing STAR voting vs other alternative systems.”

    Easy-to-follow explanation of spoiler effects in plurality voting and IRV.

    user234683, 2019-10 · Recommendation · in “Ranked-choice voting is on the ballot in New York City”

  4. “Explains the strategic voting issue in ranked-choice voting.”

    godelski, 2021-06 · Recommendation · in “What is ranked-choice voting and why is New York using it?”

  5. “here's a video explaining the strategic voting issue”

    Explains the strategic voting issue in IRV

    elihu, 2021-06 · Recommendation · in “What is ranked-choice voting and why is New York using it?”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: instant-runoff voting, ranked choice, favorite betrayal, spoiler effect, approval voting

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