[r6rs-discuss] required explanations

From: John Nowak <john>
Date: Fri, 17 Aug 2007 00:08:23 -0400

On Thu, 16 Aug 2007 22:29:20 -0400
"Lynn Winebarger" <owinebar at gmail.com> wrote:

> Your conjecture about people who "would have" voted no seems
> unlikely -- unless it turns out, whenever the voting is announced,
> that the margin of success corresponded to people who sent in "no"
> votes after the deadline because they had difficulty with the task.
> I definitely find it hard to believe people who wanted to vote "no"
> would send in "yes" votes just to avoid the effort!

It has nothing to do with "avoiding the effort". For someone on the edge, being forced to justify a no vote and being able to vote yes without justification very well might have unconsciously swayed them. It's certainly much easier to have an opinion without having to give a reason. Someone might have been thinking they would vote no, then been unable to come up with a good reason, then voted yes because "hey, maybe it's not so bad after all". Not that such people should be voting in the first place, but that's another issue with this process entirely...

Then, of course, there are also those that registered to vote but didn't. If not for the explanation requirement, might they have voted?

- John
Received on Fri Aug 17 2007 - 00:08:23 UTC