> But a problem that you described could be addressed by counting invalid votes as 0.5 instead of 0.
Unfortunately that doesn't solve the problem - because spending money in the town with lots of people with a full vote will produce more votes than spending the same amount of money in the town with lots of people with half a vote.
> Just ask them how much percent a candidate is going to increase/decrease <xyz> in their program
Everyone knows whether they feel happier, healthier, more successful, and whether they've got more money in their pocket today than they had 4 years ago.
Why is a candidate's policy on tariff rates on steel imports from Canada more important than that?
Maybe I'm wrong with election math, sure have to check it, but the point is not that some towns are completely dumb forever. The point is that voters would be more aware of candidates plans intellectually rather than emotionally.
>Why is a candidate's policy on tariff rates on steel imports from Canada more important than that?
Not more important. Important thing is voters would better realize what a program actually is and in future elections vote a little more for programs than for candidates to be sure that their votes count as 1. It is $subj idea — "please read on the paper before you comment". By looking for tariff rates you have to read the paper at least until these numbers.
Ed: as a politician you also cannot be sure if that town would or would not read your plan this time. You can agitate them to do that and convert 0.5 to 1 for you (and not for others). Isn't it a positive feedback all things considered?
Unfortunately that doesn't solve the problem - because spending money in the town with lots of people with a full vote will produce more votes than spending the same amount of money in the town with lots of people with half a vote.
> Just ask them how much percent a candidate is going to increase/decrease <xyz> in their program
Everyone knows whether they feel happier, healthier, more successful, and whether they've got more money in their pocket today than they had 4 years ago.
Why is a candidate's policy on tariff rates on steel imports from Canada more important than that?