"Maximising your vote"

Daftendirekt

Just a quick question...

Is there any substance to the idea of "maximising your vote" under the STV system?

For example, supposing in my 5-seat constituency, there are three independent candidates running, long-shots, but people I wouldn't mind seeing elected.

As well as the independents, there are two FG candidates, one being almost guaranteed a seat, the other being less certain, but still a relatively safe bet.

And, just for the hell of it, let's say there's a Labour candidate I like as well, who's more likely to get in than the independents but less likely than either of the FG candidates. (With me so far?) :pac:

If I mainly wanted to see both FG candidates and the Labour guy elected, but wouldn't object to any of the three independents, what would be the best way to structure my preferences on the ballot paper?

I'm thinking that if I want my ballot paper to remain active right up until the later counts, I should give the independents my first three preferences, the Labour guy my fourth and the two FG'ers my fifth and sixth.

What I want to know is, is there really any merit in trying to keep your ballot paper in the game for as along as possible, or am I over thinking this a bit too much? Would I better off just ordering my preferences based on who I like the most? (Or who I dislike the least, as the case may be.)

Also, in my hypothetical (and real) constituency, there are a couple of candidates who I don't want to see elected. Should I give all the tolerable candidates a preference, and leave these ones blank, or should I number them all, right down to my least favourite?

Zubeneschamali

Daftendirekt wrote: »

Would I better off just ordering my preferences based on who I like the most? (Or who I dislike the least, as the case may be.)

This.

should I number them all, right down to my least favourite?

This too. Your vote can never help a candidate lower down your list beat one higher up. So the only way your vote can help a lower candidate is if your higher choices have already been elected and/or eliminated.

You are really just voting which of the nasty people at the bottom you dislike least, SF or FF.

Daftendirekt

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

This too. Your vote can never help a candidate lower down your list beat one higher up. So the only way your vote can help a lower candidate is if your higher choices have already been elected and/or eliminated.

You are really just voting which of the nasty people at the bottom you dislike least, SF or FF.

If I do this, isn't there then a risk that if my higher preferences are elected or eliminated, my vote could help the SF or FF candidate get elected in the later stages of the count?

upmeath

We discussed this at length over the weekend in a thread named "Votes"
The gist of that thread... DeVore stated (and I agreed) that the only 2 reasons you should ever (EVER) stop numbering your ballot is because:

1. you've run out of candidates (ie. you've allocated preference to ALL candidates)

OR

2. because you find all remaining candidates indistinguishably (dis)likable. If there's even a slight iteration of preference in your mind of one candidate over the other, give them a higher preference.

Victor

Daftendirekt wrote: »

If I do this, isn't there then a risk that if my higher preferences are elected or eliminated, my vote could help the ... candidate get elected in the later stages of the count?

I'll be neutral here, so I have amended your post.

If that person is at the bottom of your list, then no.

Daftendirekt

Cool, thanks for the replies. Much obliged!