Cathy
Banned deucer.
Megan's point is actually very true, but I don't think his proposed solution is the right approach, for the reasons Risking Dusk mentions.
I think the best way is to do it is instant runoff voting. The wikipedia page explains, but I'll restate it here in terms of the ban list issue. We construct a list consisting of "No ban list" and several ban lists and then people vote with a list of the options ordered (e.g. "1: Ban List A, 2: Ban List B, 3: No Ban List, 4: Ban List C"). At first, however, we only consider the #1 choice on each list. If any option has a majority of the votes, then it wins. Otherwise, the least popular option is removed from the list and anybody whose #1 choice was that option is instead counted using their #2 choice. At this point again, if any option has a majority, then it wins, otherwise this algorithm continues, counting each person's vote as their highest preference that is still in the running.
The main problem with other approaches is exactly what Megan Fox says: the vote for the various ban lists is going to be split because most ban list supporters presumably would support more than one ban list. The ban list that gets the most votes in a direct vote may not actually be the most agreeable ban list.
Also, this approach only requires one vote to decide this whole issue, rather than several.
I think the best way is to do it is instant runoff voting. The wikipedia page explains, but I'll restate it here in terms of the ban list issue. We construct a list consisting of "No ban list" and several ban lists and then people vote with a list of the options ordered (e.g. "1: Ban List A, 2: Ban List B, 3: No Ban List, 4: Ban List C"). At first, however, we only consider the #1 choice on each list. If any option has a majority of the votes, then it wins. Otherwise, the least popular option is removed from the list and anybody whose #1 choice was that option is instead counted using their #2 choice. At this point again, if any option has a majority, then it wins, otherwise this algorithm continues, counting each person's vote as their highest preference that is still in the running.
The main problem with other approaches is exactly what Megan Fox says: the vote for the various ban lists is going to be split because most ban list supporters presumably would support more than one ban list. The ban list that gets the most votes in a direct vote may not actually be the most agreeable ban list.
Also, this approach only requires one vote to decide this whole issue, rather than several.