Approval Voting - Pros and Cons
Pros of Approval Voting
More expressive
Results are simple to understand
Favors consensus candidates
Fewer spoiler ballots
Alternative candidates receive more accurate results of support
Tends to favor candidates who would beat all rivals in a one-on-one election
Cons of Approval Voting
Less expressive
Majority winner is not guaranteed to be elected
Inefficient for large-scale elections
Violates the no-harm criterion
Voting is not entirely honest
Favors candidates who are perceived to be more advantageous rather than reflecting the voters' views
Approval voting is both more expressive and less expressive. It is more expressive because one is able to express their preferences for multiple candidates rather than just voting for one. However, approval voting is simultaneously considered less expressive because while voters may vote for more than one candidate, their preference and ranking of each candidate is not taken into consideration. In general, approval voting is a very elementary voting method that nullifies common problems such as spoiler ballots but may incite disingenuous voting.
