In my hypothetical, I'm not on the line about approving of the middle candidate. I disapprove of them strongly... but I also vastly prefer them to Satan. If Satan and the middle candidate are the only ones with a shot at winning then I absolutely want to vote for the middle one. If the third candidate can win then I don't want to vote for the middle one. If I'm not sure who's viable then I need to figure it out and hope I get it right.
It's much simpler in a plurality system. First, I decide if I want to make a statement or a difference. If I want to make a statement, I vote for the candidate I like best and that's it. If I want to make a difference, I choose the candidate I prefer from the two major parties. In the unlikely event that I like them both equally, I can either keep looking until I find a reason to prefer one, or I can abstain knowing that either one is equally good (or bad). Note, I'm not saying this is good, just that it's simple.
I'm saying that asking that question "should I approve of this candidate" is just as intractable as "who should I vote for" when you're on the line between two candidates.
The problem with instant runoff voting is that you can actually be harming your preferred candidate by ranking them ahead of the middle candidate.
I meant “close” in terms of preference. If you rate both of them 5/7, for example, then it’s hard to choose which one to vote for, but it’s also unimportant.
It's much simpler in a plurality system. First, I decide if I want to make a statement or a difference. If I want to make a statement, I vote for the candidate I like best and that's it. If I want to make a difference, I choose the candidate I prefer from the two major parties. In the unlikely event that I like them both equally, I can either keep looking until I find a reason to prefer one, or I can abstain knowing that either one is equally good (or bad). Note, I'm not saying this is good, just that it's simple.
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