LinuxWhore's Journal: Plurality Voting and the Gimp Splash Screen Contest

I've heard newly college-indoctrinated students say that the US election system should not be a one or the other, or lesser of two evils election. They say that we should vote from a pool of multiple people (or parties) and then the person with the most popularity wins.

But take for example Gimp Splash Screen contest, where, when presented with the full list of candidates, I voted for this: http://www.gimp.org/var/wgo-contest-current/2004120221450428256.png. I guess I'm partial to blues and dark contrast. However, when I checked out the ranked page, I realized that my first choice was no where near winning. But another of my favorites was in 4th place (http://www.gimp.org/var/wgo-contest-current/200412020906377591.png), So I voted for it as well. I guess I'd conside this the primary for the election. If my candidate does not get close to 1st or 2nd place, I'll be voting for whichever of the 2 top candidates that I think looks best.

Now, my point was that if I had voted for the fireworks splash and had no other vote, I would have had less power than when I can vote between the two most likely to win. At least then I have power to push the scale my way just a little futher.

Hope that made sense. Sometimes I feel like I'm rambling.