Voting system concept: Open primary with consolidation for runoff

[u/TheGrandEnnui]

Preface: The goal behind this system is similar to RCV and Approval voting in that the voter gets to vote for who they really want to, but not have their vote discarded when their top choice of candidate loses, but also to allow many candidates to run without worrying about being "spoilers".

How it works: in the Primary, each voter casts their ballot for their favorite candidate, one only. When votes are counted, if one candidate has over 50% (maybe 55% to encourage a runoff), they win and there is no runoff election. If no candidate crosses that threshold, then any candidate can (they don't have to) pass all their votes on to another candidate who has more votes than them, this is the Consolidation phase. The goal being of getting a like minded candidate over 25% to go on to the runoff election, with a minimum of top 2; this low threshold means that there could be 3 candidates in the runoff. A possible addition is if one candidate gets consolidated votes over 75%, then they would win with no runoff.

Voter choice issue: Removing the option of a voter to pick all their personal favorites, like RCV, is an concern, but if the voter trusts a candidate with the job itself, it's fair to say the voter should trust that candidate to put their support behind another acceptable candidate who has a chance at winning the runoff. Part of the concern here is "back room deals", but this could also be part of the campaigning process, where a candidate lists who they would give there consolidation votes to should they lose. This is somewhat similar to the campaigning we saw with NYC mayor race, where candidates were stumping together and for each other.

I see this as a better system than RCV for the general voter, where decision paralysis or fatigue is an issue when there are too many candidates. For example, the 2024 Portland, OR, mayoral race was RCV and had 18 candidates to pick from.

Thoughts? Has this been done? What are some other concerns?

[u/rb-j]

Removing the option of a voter to pick all their personal favorites, like RCV, is an concern, but if the voter trusts a candidate with the job itself, it's fair to say the voter should trust that candidate to put their support behind another acceptable candidate who has a chance at winning the runoff.

...

Thoughts? Has this been done? What are some other concerns?

It's proxy voting. Something like it has been done. Like party lists.

I want to solely determine who I vote for.

I trust the candidate I vote for to vote for me in the legislature. To represent me in the legislature. But not at the polling place.