> 
> > You could try preference voting, like Australia has (although we 
> > borrowed it from New Zealand)
> 
> I think (most) people in NZ might agree that changing from 
> FPP (first past the post - party with the most votes wins, no 
> matter how small the proportion of the total vote might be) 
> to MMP (mixed member proportional representation) has 
> probably made little difference in recent times. The reason 
> being that of the parties currently in coalition one, Labour, 
> is dominant and tends to push its policies through anyway. 
> Although it does make concessions to to its minority partner' 
> policies to get their support. But effectively coalition 
> partners are of like mind (or else they wouldn't be 
> partners), and there will be deals before the election to 
> weed out "unsuitable" candidates, so the nett result is 
> likely similar to what would have happened under FPP if 
> Labour had won. Minor parties may win the occassional battle 
> for "niche policy" but the majority partner has the Treasury. 
> And that's what they really want


The effects of preference voting are a bit subtle, and will produce a result
that the majority are happy with.

The 'One Notion' ratbag party was popular enough to win a FPP (first past
the post) election, but it was clear the majority did not want them.

Most democratic nations tend to wind up a the two party model, a liberal
party vs a conservative party.  (In Australia at the moment, it hard to tell
them apart).

It is possible for a minor party to gain power, people will place their
primary vote with one of the major parties, but everyone puts the minor
party second.  E.g.:

1. Major party 1
2. The Underdog party
3. Banjo reform party
4. Raving ratbag party
5. Major party 2

If neither major party gets a clear majority (say 30% each, the Underdogs
get 20%, the others 10%), the count goes to preferences.  Since everyone
(perhaps grudgingly) put the Underdogs second, they win despite getting only
20% of the primary vote.  They have no chance in a FPP vote.

The major parties also offer deals to the smaller parties in exchange for
their preferences.  While they may never get power, they still have
influence.  The major parties can't discount them totally, even if it seems
that way at times.

I wrote a vote counting (non-political) system a while back.  It's fun to
watch the process, especially fun to watch someone lose to the underdogs.
They always demand a recount & inspection of the papers.  But but but I got
42%!

Tony

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