web01.fireside.fm Tue, 07 Apr 2026 22:46:04 -0500 Fireside (https://fireside.fm) Tatter - Episodes Tagged with “Ranked Choice” https://tatter.fireside.fm/tags/ranked-choice Thu, 07 Jun 2018 12:00:00 -0400 This is a podcast exploring issues in politics and policy. Each episode features conversation with at least one subject matter expert, with a goal of helping listeners better understand the topic. en-us episodic Politics and Policy Michael Sargent This is a podcast exploring issues in politics and policy. Each episode features conversation with at least one subject matter expert, with a goal of helping listeners better understand the topic. no politics, policy, law Michael Sargent profsargent@gmail.com Episode 14: Spoiled https://tatter.fireside.fm/14 56064cfd-275e-4974-be22-37c0a6234c45 Thu, 07 Jun 2018 12:00:00 -0400 Michael Sargent full Michael Sargent Once upon a time, I was an enthusiastic supporter of ranked-choice voting. But after reading a bit more, and after this conversation with two political scientists, I'm not so sure anymore. 27:34 no In elections with three or more candidates, spoiler effects are thought to occur when one candidate, one with supporters who are ideologically similar to those of another candidate, garners enough support that a third, ideologically dissimilar or even opposite, candidate can win without a majority. For example, in the 2014 Maine gubernatorial general election, Democratic nominee Mike Michaud received 43.4% of the vote, while independent candidate Eliot Cutler received 8.4%. Because Cutler's issue positions (e.g., pro-choice, supportive of marriage equality, pro-union) aligned him more closely with Democrats than the Republican opponent, many have suggested that Cutler's participation in the election drew enough support away from Michaud to prevent what otherwise would have been a Democratic victory. As it was, Republican Paul LePage was elected with 48.2% of the vote, less than a true majority. Vote-count systems that allow a candidate to win with merely a plurality (i.e., the greatest number of votes, but less than a majority) are vulnerable to spoiler effects. In response to apparent spoiler effects such as this one, and (as some have argued) Ralph Nader's impact on the 2000 U.S. presidential election, some reformers have advocated for the use of ranked-choice voting. In this episode, I talk with political scientists Jason McDaniel (https://politicalscience.sfsu.edu/people/25298/jason-mcdaniel) and Jack Santucci (http://www.jacksantucci.com/) about the potential rewards--but also risks--associated with ranked-choice voting. The risks include ones that could be detrimental to the interests of low-income citizens, and less educated ones. EPISODE LINKS 2013 Op-ed from Minnesota (Lawrence Jacobs & Joanne Miller) (http://www.startribune.com/new-minneapolis-voting-rules-could-diminish-equality/218598731/) 2014 Op-ed from Minnesota (Jacobs & Miller redux) (http://www.startribune.com/ranked-choice-voting-by-the-data-still-flawed/245283691/) FAQ on ranked-choice voting in Maine (http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/upcoming/rankedchoicefaq.html) A timeline of actions on ranked choice voting in Maine (http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/upcoming/pdf/rcvtimeline.pdf) William Poundstone's "Gaming The Vote" (https://www.amazon.com/Gaming-Vote-Elections-Arent-About/dp/0809048922) Special Guests: Jack Santucci and Jason McDaniel. In elections with three or more candidates, spoiler effects are thought to occur when one candidate, one with supporters who are ideologically similar to those of another candidate, garners enough support that a third, ideologically dissimilar or even opposite, candidate can win without a majority. For example, in the 2014 Maine gubernatorial general election, Democratic nominee Mike Michaud received 43.4% of the vote, while independent candidate Eliot Cutler received 8.4%. Because Cutler's issue positions (e.g., pro-choice, supportive of marriage equality, pro-union) aligned him more closely with Democrats than the Republican opponent, many have suggested that Cutler's participation in the election drew enough support away from Michaud to prevent what otherwise would have been a Democratic victory. As it was, Republican Paul LePage was elected with 48.2% of the vote, less than a true majority.

Vote-count systems that allow a candidate to win with merely a plurality (i.e., the greatest number of votes, but less than a majority) are vulnerable to spoiler effects. In response to apparent spoiler effects such as this one, and (as some have argued) Ralph Nader's impact on the 2000 U.S. presidential election, some reformers have advocated for the use of ranked-choice voting. In this episode, I talk with political scientists Jason McDaniel and Jack Santucci about the potential rewards--but also risks--associated with ranked-choice voting. The risks include ones that could be detrimental to the interests of low-income citizens, and less educated ones.

EPISODE LINKS
2013 Op-ed from Minnesota (Lawrence Jacobs & Joanne Miller)

2014 Op-ed from Minnesota (Jacobs & Miller redux)

FAQ on ranked-choice voting in Maine

A timeline of actions on ranked choice voting in Maine

William Poundstone's "Gaming The Vote"

Special Guests: Jack Santucci and Jason McDaniel.

]]> In elections with three or more candidates, spoiler effects are thought to occur when one candidate, one with supporters who are ideologically similar to those of another candidate, garners enough support that a third, ideologically dissimilar or even opposite, candidate can win without a majority. For example, in the 2014 Maine gubernatorial general election, Democratic nominee Mike Michaud received 43.4% of the vote, while independent candidate Eliot Cutler received 8.4%. Because Cutler's issue positions (e.g., pro-choice, supportive of marriage equality, pro-union) aligned him more closely with Democrats than the Republican opponent, many have suggested that Cutler's participation in the election drew enough support away from Michaud to prevent what otherwise would have been a Democratic victory. As it was, Republican Paul LePage was elected with 48.2% of the vote, less than a true majority.

Vote-count systems that allow a candidate to win with merely a plurality (i.e., the greatest number of votes, but less than a majority) are vulnerable to spoiler effects. In response to apparent spoiler effects such as this one, and (as some have argued) Ralph Nader's impact on the 2000 U.S. presidential election, some reformers have advocated for the use of ranked-choice voting. In this episode, I talk with political scientists Jason McDaniel and Jack Santucci about the potential rewards--but also risks--associated with ranked-choice voting. The risks include ones that could be detrimental to the interests of low-income citizens, and less educated ones.

EPISODE LINKS
2013 Op-ed from Minnesota (Lawrence Jacobs & Joanne Miller)

2014 Op-ed from Minnesota (Jacobs & Miller redux)

FAQ on ranked-choice voting in Maine

A timeline of actions on ranked choice voting in Maine

William Poundstone's "Gaming The Vote"

Special Guests: Jack Santucci and Jason McDaniel.

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