THE CORE

Fruits & Votes is the Web-log of Matthew S. Shugart ("MSS"), Professor of Political Science, University of California, Davis.

Perspectives on electoral systems, constitutional design, and policy around the world, based primarily on my research interests.

Also experiences with growing many varieties of fruit (always organic) and other personal interests. Please see the Mission Statement for more. (There is also an explanation of the banner.)

Other "planters" have been invited to contribute. Please check the "Planted by" line to see the author of the post you are reading.

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Core principles:

Henry Droop on the "moderate non-partisan section"

Madison on "dangers from abroad" and "the fetters... on liberty"

The Head Orchardist's other sites:

PRESERVED FRUIT

Dikes and Votes: Consensus government and flood control

The 2008 candidates on political reform

More fundamental than the climate

The radical middle in US democracy

Re-sizing the House

If the USA had PR

MMP and dual candidacy

Canada's dysfunctional electoral system

The Hamas sweep: The electoral system did it

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  • FRUITS
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    • 03 August 2010
    An actual Tea Party?

    Planted by MSS
    Planted in: AMERICAN POLITICAL REFORM

    From the Detroit News:

    A group that has filed petitions to make the Tea Party an official party on the general election submitted a slate of candidates to the Secretary of State office late Monday. [...]

    Tea party activists across the state have said the group that is trying to place the party on the ballot does not represent the movement. Some have accused the group of trying to siphon votes away from conservative candidates.

    Electoral reform, anyone?

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    Recent comments.

  • Do UK elections now allow fusion candidacies? (12)
    • Tom Round: Chris @9: “but in not having an UKIP opponent to siphon votes from the right.” Good point. However, given voluntary voting...
    • MSS: UKIP did admit during the recent local election campaign that it did not fully vet its candidates, due to (it was claimed) resource...
    • Chris: UKIP’s candidates for Parliament and MEP do indeed seem to need National Executive Committee Approval before being placed on the...
    • Chris: I think the key thing in being a Conservative-UK IP candidate might not be in having both of their emblems, but in not having an UKIP...
    • MSS: Here is the text (see Jaffr’s link): After paragraph (2A) insert— “(2AA)If a candidate who is the subject of an authorisation by...
    • MSS: Let me call attention here to Jaffr. at comment #1, who notes the amendment to the ballot law was passed earlier in 2013. (This comment was...
    • Tom Round: > “would officially be Conservative-Li beral on the ballot” The UK only adopted ballot labels in the early 1970s, and...
  • Is MMP in Ireland’s future? (7)
    • Wilf Day: Ireland’s Constitutional Convention is a very interesting model of an electoral reform process. It includes 66 randomly selected...
    • MSS: Yes, electoral-syste m change would require a constitutional amendment, which is why it is a topic of the Constitutional Convention. The...
    • Alan: I expect the sixth and last senate place to be decided by very small margins in a number of states. Voting below the line will have more than...
    • Tom Round: Sorry, I should clarify: A legal change to an explicit party list system would indeed require a referendum to amend the Constituti...
    • JD: Tom: I think the Irish probably DO like getting a choice among different candidates of the same party. Whether their leaders like offering that...
  • Distortions of the US House: It’s not how the districts are drawn, but that there are (single-seat) districts (30)
    • Ed: This is another article where the writer attempted to draw non-partisan districts, using a set of criteria an independent commission could...
  • Does STV have anything to do with absence of “free votes” in Ireland? (16)
    • MSS: I was sort of hoping this thread would be about free votes and STV’s possible role in them, but whatever… Uruguay has primary...

    • CROSS-POLLINATION

    FRUITS

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    The Fruit Blog (Fruit & fruit breeding)
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    VOTES

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    Comparative democracy

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    HARVESTS

    If by my laws you walk, and my commands you keep, and observe them,
    then I will give-forth your rains in their set-time,
    so that the earth gives-forth its yield
    and the trees of the field give-forth their fruit.
    --Vayikra 26: 3-4

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    ORCHARD SERVICES

    F&V time: This blog's date function is so set as to start a new day at approximately local sunset. (Why, if we have "day" and "night," should a new "day" start in the middle of the night?)

    FRUITS: Support your local, organic growers; and, plant vines and fig trees and pomegranates for the generations to come...

    VOTES: For democratization and full representation, for environmental sustainability, social justice, and peace, always sincerely...

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