The Cost of Voting
Registration
Voter registration (new and updates) cost over $8.8 million
in Oregon during the 2008 election year. That's about $7.67 per voter registration transaction.1
Elections
Maryland spent over $27 million on elections (touch screen
voting) in 2008.2
Campaigns3 Barack Obama $760 million
Bob Barr $1.4 million
John McCain $374 million
Chuck Baldwin $244,116
Ralph Nader $4.5 million
Cynthia McKinney $240,464
Plurality With Elimination
“Instant Runoff Voting”
Round 1
Count the 1st place votes for each candidate. If there is a
majority candidate, they win. If not, eliminate the candidate
with the fewest 1st place votes. If there is a tie, eliminate each.
Round 2
Update the preference schedule and recount the 1st place votes.
If there is a majority candidate, they win. If not, eliminate the candidate with the fewest 1st place votes. If there is a tie,
eliminate each.
Round 3, 4, ...
Recount and eliminate until there is a majority candidate.
Election Results
Number of Voters
14
10
8
4
1
1st choice
2nd choice
A
C
D
B
C
B
B
C
D
D
3rd choice
4th choice
C
D
B
C
B
D
A
A
A
A
Who is the winner using the
Plurality with Elimination Method?
Original Preference Schedule
Number of Voters
14
10
8
4
1
1st choice
2nd choice
A
C
D
B
C
B
B
C
D
D
3rd choice
4th choice
C
D
B
C
B
D
A
A
A
A
Round 1
Plurality candidate – A (1st choice votes = 14)
Elimination – B (1st choice votes = 4)
Updated Preference Schedule
Number of Voters
14
10
8
4
1
1st choice
A
C
D
D
C
2nd choice
C
D
C
C
D
3rd choice
D
A
A
A
A
Round 2
Plurality candidate – A (1st choice votes = 14)
Elimination – C (1st choice votes = 11)
Updated Preference Schedule
Number of Voters
14
10
8
4
1
1st choice
A
D
D
D
D
2nd choice
D
A
A
A
A
Round 3
Majority candidate – D (1st choice votes = 23)
Which criterion does this election violate? Condorcet
But Wait, There's More...
Athens, Barcelona, and Calgary are competing to host the Summer Olympic Games. The final decision is made
by a secret vote of 29 council members. Results of Straw Poll
Number of Voters
7
8
10
4
1st choice
2nd choice
A
B
C
A
B
C
A
C
3rd choice
C
A
B
B
If these were the actual election results, who would be the
winner using the plurality with elimination method?
Updated Preference Schedule
Number of Voters
7
8
10
4
1st choice
2nd choice
A
C
C
A
C
C
A
C
Round 1
Plurality candidate – C (1st choice votes = 10)
Elimination – B (1st choice votes = 8)
Round 2
Majority candidate – C (1st choice votes = 18)
So much for secret...
Word gets out Calgary is going to win, so the four council
members in the last column decide to switch their vote.
They give 1st choice to Calgary and 2nd choice to Athens.
Official Election Results
Number of Voters
7
8
10
4
1st choice
2nd choice
A
B
C
C
B
C
A
A
3rd choice
C
A
B
B
Calgary was going to win, so no harm done...right?
Original Preference Schedule
Number of Voters
7
8
10
4
1st choice
2nd choice
A
B
C
C
B
C
A
A
3rd choice
C
A
B
B
Round 1
Plurality candidate – C (1st choice votes = 14)
Elimination – A (1st choice votes = 7)
Updated Preference Schedule
Number of Voters
7
8
10
4
1st choice
2nd choice
B
B
C
C
C
C
B
B
Round 2
Majority candidate – B (1st choice votes = 15)
Barcelona Wins! (um, what?!)
Sounds like we need another fairness criterion.
The Monotonicity Criterion If candidate X is a winner of an election and, in a re­
election, the only changes in the ballots are changes
that favor X (and only X), then X should remain a
winner of the election.
Monotonic means always increasing or always decreasing.
For example, a monotonic (increasing) sequence of numbers would look like this:
4 , 5 , 8 , 10 , 15 , 27 , 30 , ...
The Plurality with Elimination Method
The Good:
Takes into account all the information on preferences
in one election. It satisfies the majority criterion. The Bad:
It does not satisfy the Condorcet criterion or
the monotonicity criterion.
The Reality:
The International Olympic Committee does use this
method. It is becoming more popular in municipal elections (mayor, city council, district attorney, etc.)
in some U.S. cities.
More Information on Instant Runoff Voting:
Center for Voting and Democracy
www.fairvote.org
References
1. http://www.pewtrusts.org/our_work_report_detail.aspx?id=56506&category=488
2. http://www.saveourvotes.org/legislation/packet/08­costs­mdvotingsystem.pdf
3. http://query.nictusa.com/cgi­bin/cancomsrs/?_08+00+PR