Do You Approve of Approval Voting?

image
Author: TJ OHara
Created: 01 Sep, 2021
Updated: 14 Aug, 2022
2 min read

Aaron Hamlin, Executive Director and Co-Founder of The Center for Election Science, joins T.J. O’Hara, host of Deconstructed, to discuss Approval Voting as an alternative to traditional Plurality Voting and the emerging Ranked Choice Voting system. Mr. Hamlin is a strong proponent of Approval Voting and offers research conducted by the Center along with examples of how it has fared in real world applications.

Mr. Hamlin is an attorney with two additional graduate degrees in the social sciences. He became interested in electoral systems in college when he recognized that his peers were voting on a basis of a candidate’s probability of winning rather than for the candidate whom they truly preferred. He has become an expert in the field and has appeared on national shows and written for major publications while seeking to improve our electoral process.

Mr. Hamlin compares and contrasts Plurality Voting and Ranked Choice Voting with Approval Voting, which expands choices over Plurality Voting while not requiring the diligence of assigning a specific ranking to each candidate as is essential to the Ranked Choice approach. He discusses critical issues such as the simplicity of Approval Voting, ballot spoilage, the risk of ties, and the potential for tactical exploitation; all of which he believes favors Approval Voting. Mr. Hamlin also assesses the impact on Third Parties and alternative candidates, including the visibility that Approval Voting provides and the clarity it reflects in its results.

T.J. asks about voter satisfaction, and Mr. Hamlin weighs in with the feedback that was received from Approval Voting races conducted in Fargo, North Dakota, and St. Louis, Missouri, in recent years. He also shares the results of one of the studies The Center for Election Science conducted with respect to the 2016 presidential election, and the results are extremely interesting.

Listen to the show to become more informed about this lesser-known alternative to Plurality and Ranked Choice Voting. Then, decide for yourself which one you favor.

Latest articles

Congress
New Report: We Already Know Who Will Win 81% of US House Races in 2026
New analysis from the nonpartisan better elections group FairVote reveals a grim picture of American democracy: Congressional elections are becoming even less competitive and easier to predict -- with the vast majority of House seats effectively decided long before voters cast their ballots....
28 Apr, 2025
-
2 min read
American flag on the back of a person at a gathering.
Do Moderates Matter -- Or Is the Political 'Middle' a Myth?
With the progressive wing of the Democratic Party moving to assert itself in the 2026 midterms, many on the left worry these new candidates will scare away moderate voters. Yet Donald Trump's victories in 2016 and 2024 show moderates don't appear to spook easily....
28 Apr, 2025
-
1 min read
People filling out forms.
Insurance Markets Need More Choice and Competition
Every individual has different preferences and needs according to personal life circumstances. Governments typically offer one-size-fits-all solutions. Consumers overwhelmingly want more options....
24 Apr, 2025
-
2 min read