VOTING METHODS

Source :
Sections 15.1 and 15.2 of A Survey of Mathematics with Applications
by Angel, Abbott, Runde

Published by
OBJECTIVES
• Use the voting methods of Plurality, Borda Count, Plurality with
Elimination, and Pairwise Comparison in making decisions.
• Identify the flaws of each of the voting methods, using the Fairness
Criteria.
4 VOTING METHODS
• PLURALITY
• BORDA COUNT
• PLURALITY WITH ELIMINATION
• PAIRWISE COMPARISON
Plurality Method
• This is the most commonly used and easiest method to use when
there are more than two candidates.

• Each voter votes for one candidate. The candidate receiving the most
votes is declared the winner.
Example: Voting
• Voting for Math Club President:
Four students are running for president of the Math Club: Jerry, Thomas, Annette and Becky. The club members were
asked to rank all candidates. The resulting preference table for this election is shown.

Number of 14 12 9 4 1 a) How many students voted in the election?

Votes
First T B A J A
Add the row labeled Number of Votes
14 + 12 + 9 + 4 + 1 = 40
Second J A J B B
Third A J B A J Therefore, 40 students voted in the election.
Fourth B T T T T b) How many students selected the candidates in
this order: A, J, B, T?
3rd column of numbers, 9 people

c) How many students selected A as their first

choice?
9 + 1 = 10
Example: Plurality Method
• Who is elected math club president using the plurality method?
• We will assume that each member would vote for the person he or she listed in first place.
From the table:
Number of Votes 14 12 9 4 1

Thomas received 14 votes

First T B A J A

Second J A J B B
Becky received 12 votes
Third A J B A J

Annette received 9 + 1 = 10 votes Fourth B T T T T

Jerry received 4 votes

Thomas would be elected since he received the most votes.

Note that Thomas received 14/40, or 35%, of the first-place votes, which is less than a
majority.
Borda Count Method
• Voters rank candidates from the most favorable to the least favorable.
Each last-place vote is awarded one point, each next-to-last-place
vote is awarded two points, each third-from-last-place vote is
awarded three points, and so forth. The candidate receiving the most
points is the winner of the election.
Example: Borda Count
• Use the Borda count method to determine the winner of the election for math
club president.

• Since there are four candidates, a first-place vote is worth 4 points, a second-
place vote is worth 3 points, a third-place vote is worth 2 points, and a fourth-
place vote is worth 1 point.
Example: Borda Count continued
Number of Votes 14 12 9 4 1

First T B A J A

Second J A J B B

Third A J B A J

Fourth B T T T T

Thomas Annette
• 14 first place votes • 10 first place votes
• 0 second place • 12 second place
• 0 third place • 18 third place
• 26 fourth place • 0 fourth place
• 14(4) + 0(3) + 0(2) + 26(1) = 82 • 10(4) + 12(3) + 18(2) + 0(1) = 112
Example: Borda Count continued
Number of Votes 14 12 9 4 1

First T B A J A

Second J A J B B

Third A J B A J

Fourth B T T T T

Becky Jerry
• 12 first place votes • 4 first place votes
• 5 second place • 23 second place
• 9 third place • 13 third place
• 14 fourth place • 0 fourth place
• 12(4) + 5(3) + 9(2) + 14(1) = 95 • 4(4) + 23(3) + 13(2) + 0(1) = 111
Example: Borda Count continued
• Thomas-82
• Annette-112
• Becky-95
• Jerry-111

Annette, with 112 points, receives the most points and is declared the
winner.
Plurality with Elimination
• Each voter votes for one candidate. If a candidate receives a majority of votes,
that candidate is declared the winner. If no candidate receives a majority,
eliminate the candidate with the fewest votes and hold another election. (If there
is a tie for the fewest votes, eliminate all candidates tied for the fewest votes.)
Repeat this process until a candidate receives a majority.
Example: Plurality with Elimination
Use the plurality with elimination method Since 40 votes were cast, a
to determine the winner of the election for candidate must have 20 first place
president of the math club. votes to receive a majority. Jerry
had the fewest number of first
• Count the number of first place votes place votes so he is eliminated.
Number of Votes 14 12 9 4 1

• Redo the table.

First T B A J A
Number 14 12 9 4 1
Second J A J B B of Votes
Third A J B A J First T B A B A
Fourth B T T T T
Second A A B A B
Third B T T T T
• Thomas 14
• Becky 12 • Thomas 14
• Annette 10 • Annette 10
• Becky 16
• Jerry 4
Example: Plurality with Elimination continued
Still, no candidate received a majority. Annette has the fewest number
of first-place vote so she is eliminated.
• New preference table: Number 14 12 9 4 1
of Votes
Number 14 12 9 4 1
of Votes First T B A B A
First T B B B B Second A A B A B
Second B T T T T Third B T T T T

• Becky 26
• Thomas 14
• Becky is the winner!
Pairwise Comparison Method
• Voters rank the candidates. A series of comparisons in which each
candidate is compared with each of the other candidates follows. If
candidate A is preferred to candidate B, A receives one point. If
candidate B is preferred to candidate A, B received 1 point. If the
candidates tie, each receives ½ point. After making all comparisons
among the candidates, the candidate receiving the most points is
declared the winner.
Example: Pairwise Comparison
• Use the pairwise comparison method to determine the winner of the
election for math club president.
• Comparisons needed:

n(n  1) 4(3)
c  6
2 2
where n is number of choices
c is the number of comparisons
Example: Pairwise Comparison continued
Number of 14 12 9 4 1
Votes

• Thomas versus Jerry First T B A J A

• T = 14 J = 12 + 9 + 4 + 1 = 26 Second J A J B B

Jerry = 1 pt Third A J B A J

• Thomas versus Annette Fourth B T T T T

• T = 14 A = 12 + 9 + 4 + 1 = 26
Annette = 1 pt
• Thomas versus Becky
• T = 14 B = 12 + 9 + 4 + 1 = 26
Becky = 1 pt
Example: Pairwise Comparison continued
• Becky versus Annette
• B = 12 + 4 = 16 A = 14 + 9 + 1 = 24
 Annette = 1 pt Number of 14 12 9 4 1

• Becky versus Jerry Votes

• B = 12 + 1 = 13 J = 14 + 9 + 4 = 27 First T B A J A

 Jerry = 1 pt Second J A J B B

• Annette versus Jerry Third A J B A J

• A = 12 + 9 + 1 = 22 J = 14 + 4 = 18 Fourth B T T T T

 Annette = 1 pt

Annette would win the election since she

received 3 points,
the most points from the pairwise
comparison method.
Flaws of Voting – all methods of voting have flaws

Methods of voting are evaluated using Fairness Criteria:

1. Majority Criterion
If a candidate receives a majority (more than 50%), of the first-place votes, that candidate should be declared
the winner.
2. Head-to-Head Criterion
If a candidate is favored when compared head-to-head with every other candidate, that candidate
should be declared the winner.
3. Monotonicity Criterion
A candidate who wins a first election and then gains additional support without losing any of the
original support should also win a second election.
4. Irrelevant Alternative Criterion
If a candidate is declared the winner of an election and in a second election one or more of the
other candidates is removed, the previous winner should still be declared the winner.
 Summary of the Voting Methods
and
Whether They Satisfy the Fairness Criteria
Plurality Borda count Plurality Pairwise
with comparison
elimination
Majority Always May not Always Always
satisfies satisfy satisfies satisfies

Head-to-head May not May not May not Always

satisfy satisfy satisfy satisfies

Monotonicity Always Always May not Always

satisfies satisfies satisfy satisfies

Irrelevant May not May not May not May not satisfy
alternatives satisfy satisfy satisfy
ACTIVITY 14 – VOTING METHODS Instructions: Write down first your solutions
and answers on a yellow paper. Review your
work. Then answer the problem in the google
form for ACTIVITY 14 – VOTING METHODS.

1. Four hundred twelve people gave their preferences to five tv contestants in

a singing contest, marking the number 1 for their favourite and 5 for their least
favourite. Results of the text votes were tallied on the following table.
Contestant RANKINGS 1a.
A 5 1 2 3 1 Who would win the contest using the
plurality voting method?
B 4 5 1 2 2
C 3 4 5 1 3
D 2 3 4 5 4
E 1 2 3 4 5 1b. Using the plurality with elimination voting
NUMBER OF 140 98 50 75 49 method, who is first eliminated?
VOTES Who would win the contest?

p. 152 of Math in the Modern World by Baltazar, et al.

Instructions: Write down first your solutions
and answers on a yellow paper. Review your
work. Then answer the problem in the google
form for ACTIVITY 14 – VOTING METHODS.

2. One hundred forty students participated in the survey, ranking their preferences among
the three models of a cellular phone. They placed the number 1 for their most preferred unit
and 3 for their least preferred unit. Results of the survey were tallied on the following table.
Cell Phone RANKINGS 2a. 2b.
unit Use the Borda Use the pairwise
A 1 2 1 3 Count method of comparison
voting to method of voting
B 2 1 3 2 determine the to determine the
C 3 3 2 1 most preferred most preferred
NUMBER OF 30 48 25 37 unit of cellular unit of cell phone.
RESPONDENTS
phone.

pp. 152-153 of Math in the Modern World by Baltazar, et al.

Instructions: Write down first your solutions
and answers on a yellow paper. Review your
work. Then answer the problem in the google
form for ACTIVITY 14 – VOTING METHODS.

3. A sorority needs to elect four officers: a president, a vice president, a secretary, and a treasurer. Rather than
vote individually for each position, the members will rank the candidates in order of preference. The votes will
then be tallied using the Borda count method. The candidate with highest number of points will be the president,
the candidate receiving the next highest number of points will be the vice president, the next will be the secretary,
and the next, the treasurer. Determine the who wins each position in the sorority.
Candidate RANKINGS

Anne 4 2 5 2 3
Belen 2 3 1 4 5 Who won as:
3a. President –
Cathy 5 1 2 3 2 3b. Vice President -
Daniele 1 5 4 1 4 3c. Secretary –
Erica 3 4 3 5 1 3d. Treasurer -
NUMBER OF votes 22 10 16 6 27

Exercise number 7
p. 153 of Math in the Modern World by Baltazar, et al.
Instructions: Write down first your solutions
and answers on a yellow paper. Review your
work. Then answer the problem in the google
form for ACTIVITY 14 – VOTING METHODS.

4. The members of a scholarship committee have ranked four finalists competing for a
scholarship in order of preference. The results are shown in the preference schedule below.
Candidate RANKINGS 4. If you are one of the voting
A 3 4 4 1 members and you want
B 1 2 3 4 candidate C to win the
C 2 3 1 2 scholarship, which voting
D 4 1 2 3 method would you suggest
NUMBER OF VOTES 9 5 71 4 that the committee use?

p. 154 of Math in the Modern World by Baltazar, et al.