[Election-Methods] Another Lottery Method for the Record

[Jonathan Lundell]

On Jun 29, 2008, at 3:16 PM, fsimmons at pcc.edu wrote:

> Jonathan suggested eliminating in a chain and Raphfrk suggested that  
> this could be automated for large
> groups.
>
> I like the chain idea from one point of view: (as Raphfrk commented)  
> the extremes would end up
> eliminating each other.
>
> Here's a variation that I like slightly better:

I do like it better in that candidates aren't eliminated at random.  
But my preference for a chain might go up as the size of the group  
goes down, because of random 'bias' (not quite the word I'm looking  
for).

>
>
> While there are two or more voters remaining ...
>
>    pick a voter at random from these remaining  voters
>
>    and allow this voter to eliminate one of the other voters
>
>    until all of the remaining voters agree who the winner should be.
>
> [In this version, the same voter could be chosen as the eliminator  
> more than once.]
>
> It has the advantage (over the chain method) of a smaller percentage  
> of the decisions being made by
> voters on the fringe, and (over my previous proposal) of keeping the  
> voters near the center to help form
> the unanimous consensus.
>
> This method could also be automated in various ways, including  
> Raphfrk's suggestion.
>
> Forest
>
>
>> From: Jonathan Lundell
>> Subject: Re: [Election-Methods] Another Lottery Method for the Record
>> To: fsimmons at pcc.edu
>> Cc: election-methods at lists.electorama.com
>> Message-ID: <31E34F9E-9E79-4CDD-B386-12FB35AB0C26 at pobox.com>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes
>>
>> On Jun 28, 2008, at 3:17 PM, fsimmons at pcc.edu wrote:
>>
>>> In small groups:
>>>
>>> A voter is chosen at random.
>>>
>>> This voter picks another voter to be eliminated, along with himself.
>>>
>>> One of the remaining voters is chosen at random, etc.
>>>
>>> If the number of voters is odd, the last voter left decides
>> the
>>> election.
>>>
>>> If the number of voters is even, a coin is flipped to
>> determine
>>> which of the last two voters decides the
>>> election.
>>
>> Nice.
>>
>> Alternatively, only the first voter is chosen at random, and the
>>
>> elimination proceeds in a chain.
>>