Here is a concise summary of the provided text:
**Title:** The Problems with First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) Voting Systems
**Setting:** A fictional Animal Kingdom, where a monarchic system transitions to a democratic one, using FPTP voting.
**Key Problems with FPTP Identified:**
1. **Minority Rule**: The winner may not represent the majority of citizens (e.g., Leopard wins with only 20% of the vote initially).
2. **Inevitable Two-Party System**: Over time, smaller parties drop out due to strategic voting, leaving only two dominant parties (Leopard and Gorilla in this scenario).
3. **Gerrymandering**: The system is susceptible to manipulation through the redrawing of voting boundaries to favor certain parties.
4. **Spoiler Effect**: Third-party candidates can inadvertently help their least preferred candidate win by splitting votes (e.g., Tiger's entry helps Gorilla win).
**Conclusion:**
The Queen Lioness, observing these issues, seeks a better voting system that:
* Allows voting for one's true preference without strategic compromise
* Fosters more representative choices
* Is resistant to gerrymandering
* Welcomes new political parties
**Future Discussion:** Alternative voting systems, such as the Alternative Vote, to be explored in a subsequent discussion.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text, excluding opinions, with each fact numbered and written in a short sentence:
**Setting and Initial Conditions**
1. The story is set in an Animal Kingdom with a monarchic system.
2. The royal family, consisting of Lion and Queen Lioness, rules the kingdom.
3. Protests lead to the monarch's decision to make the king's position an elected office.
4. Queen Lioness sets the election rules, adopting a "first-past-the-post" (FPTP) system.
**First Election Outcomes**
5. Seven candidates participate in the first election: Turtle, Monkey, Gorillas, Al, Leopard, Tiger, and Snake.
6. The vote percentages for each candidate in the first election are:
* Turtle: 9%
* Monkey: 18%
* Gorillas: 19%
* Al: 13%
* Leopard: 20%
* Tiger: 15%
* Snake: 6%
7. Leopard wins the first election with 20% of the vote.
**Subsequent Elections and System Dynamics**
8. In subsequent elections, voters remember past results, influencing their decisions.
9. Snake and Turtle voters initially back unappealing candidates, later switching to more viable options.
10. Over several election cycles, candidates with lower vote shares (Snake, Turtle, Owl, Monkey, and Tiger) drop out.
11. The system eventually narrows down to a two-party system between Leopard and Gorilla.
**Election Outcomes Over Time**
12. In the second observed election, Gorilla wins with 28% of the vote, beating Leopard's 26%.
13. In a later election, Leopard wins with 34% of the vote, beating Gorilla's 33%.
14. Eventually, the system stabilizes with Gorilla and Leopard alternating wins, with neither having a majority of the voters' first-choice support.
**Specific Scenarios and System Critiques**
15. The introduction of a third-party candidate (Tiger) can lead to the "spoiler effect," where the third party's presence ensures a win for the least preferred of the top two candidates.
16. Tiger's entry into the election garners 15% of the vote, primarily from Leopard supporters, but ultimately leads to Gorilla's win.
17. Gerrymandering is identified as a potential issue in FPTP systems, where the division of voting groups can significantly influence election outcomes.
**Queen's Reflection**
18. The Queen Lioness observes the elections and concludes that the FPTP system is not beneficial for her subjects.
19. She considers the qualities of a good voting system, including the ability to vote for one's true preference without strategic considerations, more representative choices, resistance to gerrymandering, and openness to new parties.