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.

Join the conversation. Comments are always open. Except, that is, when Word Press mysteriously shuts them down, which happens with distressing frequency.

Core principles:

Henry Droop on the "moderate non-partisan section"

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

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  • 20 January 2011

    Planted by MSS
    Planted in: Blogging

    I am in the process of updating Word Press, which powers this blog.

    Some features may be disabled for a bit.

    Update (to the update): The new version of Word Press is installed, but at the moment you need a direct link to get to any post other than this one. This process may not be complete today, but please be patient.


    Further update:
    It seems things are back in order. (Thanks, Steven!) There remain various other things to be done before the virtual orchard is completely back in business.

    Propagation: Seeds & scions (4)


    4 ideas sprouting »

    1. Great to hear!

      Seed planted by Vasi — 20 January 2011 @ 03:28

    2. Also, when better to rejuvenate an orchard than Tu B’Shvat? :)

      Seed planted by Vasi — 20 January 2011 @ 03:29

    3. Indeed, Vasi, it is perfect timing!

      (Although, my almond is nowhere near ready to bloom, so I suspect we will need two months of Adar this year.)

      Seed planted by MSS — 20 January 2011 @ 15:51

    4. I wanted to add something to http://fruitsandvotes.com/?p=910 but even the ‘overplanted’ sign didn’t appear.

      (What I wanted to plant there: In DRCongo, parliament changed the constitution to avoid an onerous and dangerous (bipolar contest as in Ivory Coast) secound round in the presidential elections: a plurality (one round) is sufficient. Assuming several opposition candidates int he first round, Kabila is blamed to secure his reelection by ‘manipultaing’ the electoral law. Or will a different rule (only one round) bring the oppostion closer together and counteract the assumtion?)

      Seed planted by Bancki — 21 January 2011 @ 08:26

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    FRUIT FEEDS
    PROPAGATION
    Recent comments.

  • Is MMP in Ireland’s future? (4)
    • 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...
    • Suaprazzodi: That would be very said if Ireland abandon STV for an MMP system. Why would Ireland move from MMP to STV especially if the list...
    • Tom Round: The Irish don’t like getting a choice among different candidates of the same party?! Like most other proposals to change...
  • Do UK elections now allow fusion candidacies? (5)
    • Tom Round: > “would officially be Conservative-Li beral on the ballot” The UK only adopted ballot labels in the early 1970s, and...
    • DC: The Co-operative Party’s candidates run as “Labour & CooperativeR 21; (it describes itself as a sister party to Labour)....
    • Tom Round: Yeah, I was thinking of the NY precedent where the Liberal Party would endorse the Democrat and the Conservative Party would put the...
  • Does STV have anything to do with absence of “free votes” in Ireland? (15)
    • JD: Tom: There is far more variety than that. You have for example the compulsory primaries in Argentina, parties having primaries closed to party...
  • BC election 2013 (16)
    • Errol Cavit: How could the pollsters be so wrong? A brief review by David Farrar (NZ pollster) on his Kiwiblog
    • MSS: Yes, the Saskatchewan Party is a merger of the provincial Liberals and Conservatives. I saw one editorial on the BC Liberals possible...
  • sede vacante (53)
    • Alan: Benedict XVI was not a particularly good legislature*, although he was better than his predecessor. The palace gave the Queensland government...
    • Tom Round: Err, either “2/3̷ 0;. 33.4%” or “3/4̷ 0; 25%” but either way you get my drift. A large minority has the...
    • Tom Round: Hmm, 1,040,000 results but give the Google gophers time… Note that super-majority thresholds for election are actually rare for...
    • Tom Round: Organisations often adopt an absolute two-thirds requirement (ie, not an initial threshold that reduces over time, as in Italian...
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