[EM] In defense of the Electoral College (was Re: Making a Bad Thing Worse)

[Dave Ketchum]

On Wed, 12 Nov 2008 01:50:22 +0100 Kristofer Munsterhjelm wrote:
> Dave Ketchum wrote:
> 
...
> 
>> Assuming that this represents 100 votes for A then 100 A>C is 
>> represented.  If B was also in the matrix there would be 100 A>B.  
>> This last 100 fails to show up below:
> 
> 
> Oops. Yes, that's true. Still, you get the point: the method (when 
> properly implemented) takes two sorted matrices and produces a sorted 
> matrix, possibly larger in size, but still a valid input for later merges.
> 
A proper implementation would be to identify a seed candidate who never 
gets voted for.

Any time there is need to add a candidate to the NxN array, as in 
preparation for a merge, that candidate starts with a copy of seed for its 
values.

I just read of a race with 200 candidates - meaning likely many with few, 
if any, votes.  If such were done with Condorcet it could make sense to 
include only candidates with votes in the NxN array.
-- 
  davek at clarityconnect.com    people.clarityconnect.com/webpages3/davek
  Dave Ketchum   108 Halstead Ave, Owego, NY  13827-1708   607-687-5026
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