508 #269: Why to Vote

508 is a show about Worcester. This week is our pre-election special. We talk about LARPing ombudsmen, the expected value (in dollars) of your vote, and how to vote strategically in the election.

Audio: Download the mp3 or see more formats.

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• “Why Voting Is Like Donating Thousands of Dollars to Charity”
• The Myerson-Weber tactical voting strategy
• Q: “Did you like being the mayor?” Ex-Mayor Konnie Lukes: “It was an overwhelming task for a ceremonial position.” “>[PDF]
• “Problems that can be solved in theory (e.g., given large but finite time), but which in practice take too long for their solutions to be useful, are known as intractable problems.”

Discussion questions:

• Have any Worcester mayors since 1970 provided more leadership and agenda-setting than the City Manager?
• Do you think the expected value of a Worcester vote is more or less than $10? Why?
• In what situations do you think bullet voting makes sense?