Every vote counts--twice; London's election.(The second-hand vote market)

From: The Economist (US) | Date: April 26, 2008 | Copyright information

Turn again, Livingstone, Johnson, Paddick

The capital's curious electoral system creates a market for second-hand votes

LONDON'S mayoral race is too close to call, but one thing is clear: the contest rests on voters' second choices. The pink ballot that Londoners will fill in on May 1st has two columns: one to mark their favourite candidate, and another to name their grudging second preference. Ken Livingstone, the Labour incumbent, and Boris Johnson, his Con...

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