Consider the 2008 Democratic / Republican primaries and discuss how the nominating process might have proceeded through the campaign if the concept of "approval voting" had been used to deceide primary winners?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Approval_voting#Effect_on_elections

http://www.electology.org/approval-voting

http://www.ctl.ua.edu/math103/voting/approval.htm

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To discuss how the 2008 Democratic/Republican primaries may have proceeded with the use of approval voting, let's first explain what approval voting is. Approval voting is a voting system in which voters can vote for as many candidates as they approve of, rather than just selecting a single candidate. Essentially, it allows voters to "approve" of multiple candidates, giving a more nuanced and comprehensive reflection of their preferences.

In the context of the 2008 primaries, if approval voting had been used, the nominating process would have likely unfolded differently. Here's a step-by-step analysis of how it might have proceeded:

1. Expanded voter choices: Approval voting would have allowed voters to choose multiple candidates from within their preferred party. In the 2008 primaries, there were several viable candidates from both the Democratic and Republican parties, such as Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, John McCain, and Mitt Romney. With approval voting, voters could have expressed support for multiple candidates they deemed qualified.

2. Increased flexibility and inclusivity: Approval voting promotes a more inclusive system, as it enables voters to support both front-runners and underdogs simultaneously. This might have resulted in greater representation of different factions, ideologies, and demographic groups within the primary process. Candidates who may have been unable to gain momentum under the traditional plurality voting system could have gained more visibility and support.

3. A detailed picture of candidate popularity: With approval voting, election results would have provided a clearer picture of how candidates were received by voters. The number of approvals received by each candidate would have indicated their level of overall support and popularity among the electorate. This information could have influenced campaign strategies and alliances.

4. Potential impact on strategy: Approval voting would have encouraged candidates to appeal to a broader base of supporters, rather than just focusing on winning a majority. Candidates might have aimed to be more inclusive and build coalitions, considering that they would benefit from being widely approved rather than solely relying on first-choice votes. This approach could have fostered cooperation and lessened the intensity of negative campaigning.

5. Runoff or elimination rounds: In some approval voting methods, if no candidate receives a certain threshold of support, a runoff or elimination process is implemented. This allows for a final decision between the top candidates to determine the winner. Depending on the specific rules applied, this could have altered the campaign dynamics, emphasizing the importance of alliances and strategic voting.

6. Party dynamics and candidate selection: The introduction of approval voting might have influenced the way political parties approached their primary processes. Parties would have needed to adapt their rules and mechanisms to the new system, potentially resulting in changes to delegate allocation, debate criteria, and fundraising strategies.

It's important to note that this analysis is speculative, as approval voting was not implemented in the 2008 primaries. However, based on the principles and effects of approval voting, the process could have been more diverse, inclusive, and reflective of voter preferences.