Cordorcet voting (was: Re: [Demexp-dev] Thoughts on voting machines)

[David MENTRE]

Hello Brian,

Brian Hurt <address@hidden> writes:

>>           - use Condorcet voting algorithm.
>
> Arrow's theorem says that no one voting system is perfect.
>
> Here's an example case- the voters have three choices, A, B, and C.  
> 1/3rd of the population (group 1) prefers A over B, and B over C.  
> Another 1/3rd (group 2)  prefers B over C, and C over A.  The last 1/3rd 
> (group 3) prefers C over A, and A over B.  Now, 2/3rds of the population 
> prefers A over B (groups 1 and 3), B over C (groups 1 and 2), and C over A 
> (groups 2 and 3).  Who wins?
>
> Similiar voting problems exist for all voting systems.  It's been proven 
> mathematically.

Right. We know this case and I have even implemented (debian) algorithms
to solve this kind of issue (look for example at the autotests in
srv/voting.ml.nw).

It has been proven that such cases exist. But nothing is said on the
reality to have such events on a real vote, with thousands or millions
of voters, each one doing its own individual choice.

If you have mathematical or statistical analysis of Cordorcet voting, we
would be glad to integrate them in current code (the sections
Introduction and Analysis still need to be written).

We have chosen Cordorcet voting because we find that there are some
interesting good points for it (the ordering of preferences that allows
to extract a consensus). But if you find a better algorithm, great, just
send us the patches to integrate it in current demexp.

Yours,
d.
-- 
 David MENTRÉ <address@hidden>