Voting and

Weighted Voting
Mathematics of the Modern World
Group Members
Cinco, Anna Princes Mae
Eviota, Akeem
Golosino, Ira Joana
Langcoyan, Linny Rose
Nuñeza, Junniel
Panis, Kitchie
Ytang, Antonia
Overview
Introduction to voting
Methods of Voting
Fairness Criteria of Voting Methods
Arrow's Impossibility Theorem
Weighted voting system (Intro)
Various Voting systems
Coalitions in Weighted Voting Systems
Introduction to Voting

Voting is a foundational tool for collective decision-

making, enabling groups to select options or leaders
by aggregating individual preferences.

Rooted in mathematics and logic, voting systems

range from simple methods like "most votes win"
(plurality) to complex ranked-choice approaches
(Borda count, pairwise comparison).
Voting Methods

Plurality Method

Borda Count Method

Plurality With Elimination

Pairwise Comparison
 Example:
Plurality Method
Fifty people were asked to rank their
preferences of five varieties of chocoloate
candy, using 1 for their most favorite and 5
Each voter selects one for thier least favorite. This is called a
preferences schedule.
candidate.

The candidate with the most

first-place votes wins, even if
they do not receive a majority
(over 50%).
Solution:
 Example:
Borda Count Method Using the preferences schedule in the
previous example, determine the winner
using the Borda Count Method
a ranked voting system that
assigns points to candidates
based on their position in
each voter’s ranking.

It prioritizes broad consensus

over pure first-choice
support.
Solution:
 Example:
Plurality With Elimination Using the preferences schedule in the
previous example, determine the winner
using Plurality with Elimination Voting
Method
(also called Instant-Runoff
Voting) is a ranked voting
system designed to ensure a
majority winner through
iterative elimination of the
least popular candidates.
Solution:
Solution:
 Example:
Pairwise Comparison Using the preferences schedule in the
previous example, determine the winner
using Pairwise Comparison
(also called head-to-head
voting) determines the winner
by comparing each candidate
against every other candidate
in individual matchups.
Solution:
Solution:
Fairness Criteria of Voting
Methods
Voting methods are evaluated based on fairness
criteria that ensure logical and equitable outcomes.
Understanding these criteria helps identify flaws
and choose systems aligned with specific goals
(e.g., majority rule vs. consensus).
Fairness Criteria of
Voting Methods
Majority Criterion

Monotinicity Criterion

Condorcet Criterion

Independence of
Irrelevant Alternatives
 Example:
Majority Criterion
Suppose that the preference schedule for
three candidates, Gertrude, Erwin and
Braullo is given by the table below:
The candidate who receives a

majority of the first-place votes is

the winner

Show that using the Borda count method

violates the majority criterion.
 Example:
Monoticity Criterion The table below shows the preferences for three new
car colors. By using plurality with elimination voting,
Meteor Gray (MG) wins the election
Guarantees that improving a

candidate’s ranking (without altering

other preferences) does not harm

their chances of winning.

Suppose that the 10 people who voted for SWP first

and MG second changed their votes such that they
all voted for SWP second and MG first.
 Solution:
Monoticity Criterion If the 10 people who voted for SWP first and AB second
changed their votes such that they all voted for SWP
second and AB first, the preference schedule would be:
Show that, using plurality with

elimination voting, AB will now

be elected. Explain why this

result violates the monotonicity

criterion.
 Monoticity Criterion

Clearly, MG has 35 first-place

votes and AB has 35 first-place

votes so AB is the winner.

But this outcome violates the

monoticity criterion.
 Example:
Condorcet Criterion Referring to the 1st example, Toffee emerges as the
winner under the Plurality voting method.

Guarantees the most broadly

preferred candidate (one who would

beat all others in pairwise

comparisons) is elected.
 Condorcet Criterion

However, as illustrated in the 4th example, Almond is the winner when using the
Pairwise Comparison voting method
H

The outcome indicates a violation of the Condorcet criterion

 Example:
Independence of Three candidates are running for Lord Protetor in a
Irrelevant Alternatives
fantasy land. A vote was taken in which the candidates
were ranked in order of preference.
Ensures election outcomes are stable

and not manipulated by the

presence/absence of "irrelevant"

(non-winning) candidates.

If Melian Lindir drops out of the raace for Lord

Protector (and voter preferences remain the same),
determine the winner of the election usiing the Borda
Count Method.
Solution:
 Arrow’s Impossibility
Theorem
There is no voting method involving three
or more choices that satisfies all four
fairness criteria
 Weighted Voting
System
Definition: A weighted voting system is one in which some
voters have more wieght on the outcome of an election

q - quota
- the number of votes required to pass a motion or measure

w - weigths of the voters

- the control of a certain number of votes in each voter
 Weighted Voting System

The quota must be over half

the total weights and cannot Note that if the quota is outside of

be more than the total weight the range in the inequality above, the

said weighted voting is invalid.

Various Voting System

One Person, One vote system

Dictatorship

Null System

Veto Power System

 One Person, One vote Example:
system

5: 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1
Every voter is assigned a
weight of 1.

Each person has one vote and five

votes, a majority, are required to
pass a measure
 Example:
Dictatorship

20: 21, 6, 5,4,3

If a voter’s weight is equal
to or exceeds the quota,
they will assume the role
of a dictator
They posses the power to The person with 21 votes can pass
veto any proposal, any measure.
preventing if from being
approved.
 Example:
Null System

[28: 6, 3, 5, 2]
Total weight of all voters
in the system is below
quota

No measure can be passed

 Example:
Veto Power System

If the support a voter is 21: 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

necessary for the quota to
be reached, a veto power
is acquired.
It is possible for more than
The sum of all the votes is 21. If any
one voter or for no voter. one voter do note vote for the
measure, it will fail.
 Coalitions in Weighted
Voting Systems
Winning Losing Critical
Coalition
Colaition Coalition Value
A set of voters A set of .voters‘ A voter who
sumof whose A set of voter’s leaves a winning
each of whom
votes is greater sum of whose coalition,
votes the same
than or equal to votes is less turning it into a
way.
the quota. than the quota. losing one.
Coalitions in Weighted
Voting Systems

Dictator Dummy
A voter who has The voter who is
a weight that is never a critical
greater than or voter and has
equal to the no power.
quota
Number of Possible Coalitions in n Voters

Definition:

The number of possible

coalition of n voters is:
 a. What is the quota?
Ans: 6
Example 1 b. How many voters are in the system?
Ans: 4
c. What is the weight of voter B?
A weighted voting Ans: 3
system is given by d. What is the weight of the coalition [A, C]?

[6 : 4, 3, 2, 1]. Ans: 6
e. Is [A, D] a winning coalition?
Ans: No
f. Which voters are critical voters in the coalition [A,C, D]?
Ans: A & C
g. How many coalitions can be formed?
Ans: 15
h. How many winning coalitions can be formed?
Ans: 7 winning coalitions
i.How many coalitions consists of exactly three voters?
Ans: 4 coalitions
 Example 2

Suppose that the four owners of a company, Awe, Bien, Carl, and
Dean, own, respectively, 500 shares, 375 shares, 225 shares, 400
shares. There are a total of 1500 votes, with a quota of 751. The
H
weighted voting system is [Q : A, B, C, D] = [751: 500, 375, 225,
400]

a. Determine the winning coalitions

b. For each winning coalition, determine the critical voters

 Example 2

Solution:
a. The winning coalition represents b. The critical voters
at least 751 votes
H
 Banzhaf Power Index

Derived by John F.
Banzhaf III in 1965
It determines the power
of a voter in a weighted
voting system
 Example 3

Using the result of example 2, determine the BPI of A, B, C, and D.

The total number of times any voter is a critical voter is 12

BPI(A) = 0.33 BPI(B) = 0.33
BPI(C) = 0 BPI(D) = 0.33