Preffered Preferences

The 'No to the Alternative Vote' campaign objects that AV would give the same weight to low preferences as to the first preference, whereas, they argue, the first preference must be the most important.

I disagree.

Although some of our preferences may be more important to us than others, the most important need not be the first. I think it will quite often not be.

I divide the candidates competing for my vote into three groups: the tolerable, the merely intolerable, and the unspeakable. So for me the most important preferences are those that separate the tolerable from the intolerable, and the intolerable from the unspeakable.

Conversation with acquaintances suggests that I am far from alone in my approach, and I cannot believe that those campaigning against AV are unaware that for many people the most important preference is not the first. To argue as they do they must be dishonest.