The other issue with 3- or 4-member STV constituencies is that while you don't get tactical voting, you do get tactical standing; how many candidates each party puts up is based on how many it thinks it can get elected, and if your vote is unexpectedly high, like Sinn Féin in the most recent Irish elections, you end up accidentally wasting votes because your excess votes don't transfer.
I can totally understand why the LibDems wanted a voting system that would favour them but not let in smaller parties, though ;-) .
no subject
The other issue with 3- or 4-member STV constituencies is that while you don't get tactical voting, you do get tactical standing; how many candidates each party puts up is based on how many it thinks it can get elected, and if your vote is unexpectedly high, like Sinn Féin in the most recent Irish elections, you end up accidentally wasting votes because your excess votes don't transfer.
I can totally understand why the LibDems wanted a voting system that would favour them but not let in smaller parties, though ;-) .