Chaotic Elections! A Mathematician Looks at Voting

Book Description

What does the 2000 U.S. presidential election have in common with selecting a textbook for a calculus course in your department? Was Ralph Nader's influence on the election of George W. Bush greater than the now-famous chads? In Chaotic Elections!, Don Saari analyzes these questions, placing them in the larger context of voting systems in general. His analysis shows that the fundamental problems with the 2000 presidential election are not with the courts, recounts, or defective ballots, but are caused by the very way Americans vote for president.

This expository book shows how mathematics can help to identify and characterize a disturbingly large number of paradoxical situations that result from the choice of a voting procedure. Moreover, rather than being able to dismiss them as anomalies, the likelihood of a dubious election result is surprisingly large. These consequences indicate that election outcomes--whether for president, the site of the next Olympics, the chair of a university department, or a prize winner--can differ from what the voters really wanted. They show that by using an inadequate voting procedure, we can, inadvertently, choose badly. To add to the difficulties, it turns out that the mathematical structures of voting admit several strategic opportunities, which are described.

Finally, mathematics also helps identify positive results: By using mathematical symmetries, we can identify what the phrase "what the voters really want" might mean and obtain a unique voting method that satisfies these conditions.

Saari's book should be required reading for anyone who wants to understand not only what happened in the presidential election of 2000, but also how we can avoid similar problems from appearing anytime any group is making a choice using a voting procedure. Reading this book requires little more than high school mathematics and an interest in how the apparently simple situation of voting can lead to surprising paradoxes.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting analysis of biases in voting systems, but with a hidden bias itself.......2006-11-20

Saari's book, as he states in the title and his introduction, is very mathematical. This does not bother me; my own background in science gives me strong enough math to handle this book, though more purely social-science-oriented people may find the book too heavy on the mathematics to help them.

The book analyzes a number of voting systems, and makes a good case for his point that the procedure of casting and counting votes will often determine the result more than the actual preferences of the voters. And he comes up with some conclusions with which I agree: the weakness of approval voting (though his reasons for disliking it differ from mine) and the insufficiency of Banzhaf's method of calculating power in a weighted voting system, for example.

But he generally makes one assumption which does not adequately reflect reality. This assumption is that an ordinal sequence of preference is an adequate representation of a voter's wishes (and that, in consequence, how much a voter prefers candidate A to candidate B is measured by how many candidates are between them on a list of preferences). In fact, with enough candidates in a race, there are bound to be several that a voter likes almost equally well, others that a voter dislikes equally well, and probably others about whom the voter is indifferent (possibly because he knows nothing about them!) Thus, there may be a huge gap between a voter's opinion of, for example, his fourth and fifth preferences, while he may like the fourth one almost as much as his top preference. As a result, Saari ends up favoring a system, the Borda count, which gives absolutely equal differences between the values assigned to consecutively numbered preferences, with no recognition (at least until the next-to-last page of the book!) of the idea that voters' preferences might not work that way. And consequently he fails to see the great advantage of cumulative voting (if one has enough votes!) compared to a Borda count. This is the one serious weakness in Saari's analysis.

At a couple of points, Saari points out that (in an election with enough candidates) if you want to assure the election of a candidate, you can design the election procedure to yield that result even if the candidate actually has little true support. In a sense, Saari does the same in the question of choosing the best voting system. He obviously favors the Borda count, and thus emphasizes the criteria which will make the Borda count score high (and de-emphasizes, or even declares valueless, criteria like the Condorcet criteria that the Borda count violates); other criteria might point toward other methods. But this methodology is subject to the same objections that he raises to some voting procedures!

An Insightful Look at Voting.......2002-03-15

Saari has put together a small but useful book on the trickiness inherent in voting and the potential paradoxes that can get minor candidates elected. In races with more than two candidates, the method of vote counting is extremely important, and it is possible that by changing the counting process, you could have any candidate you want winning. Theoretically, an election could be rigged without a single dishonest vote.

The obvious solution is to choose the counting method before the election, not afterwards, but there are perils to watch out for nonetheless. Saari goes into depth about these dangers.

This depth often gets very technical, something Saari is up front about. Less than half the book is really aimed for the lay reader; the remainder is aimed more towards mathematicians. Nonetheless, I recommend this book for everyone interested in the democratic process; even if you can't get into the math, there are still enough important insights to make this book more than worthwhile.

Great on math, weak on policy.......2002-03-14

First, I'm a physicist, so the math was fine for me, but some people might find it frustrating. However, if you're willing to sink your teeth into it you'll get the important ideas.

Second, Saari's insights into the role of symmetry in three-person elections are beautiful. He shows that even if none of the three (or more) candidates can beat all of the others head-to-head there is still interesting information present. When resolving cyclic ambiguities (George beats Bill, Bill beats Ross, Ross beats George) Saari's mathematical insights may be quite useful.

However, I have to take Saari to task for his criticism of Approval Voting (where you simply indicate yes or no for each candidate). He points out that the Approval winner cannot be predicted based solely on people's preference orders (e.g. I might like Ross better than Bill or George, and Bill better than George). Saari sees this as a defect, because "anybody could win." Approval, however, makes use of different information. Which of those candidates pass your threshold? Vote yes for all that you find acceptable.

Seen in this light, Approval is a perfectly rational policy.

Also, Saari doesn't think too highly of the Condorcet criterion: If one candidate can beat all others in one-on-one contests then that candidate should win. It is true that sometimes no candidate meets that criterion, and in those cases Saari's analysis provides important insights on how to resolve the situation. However, sometimes there is in fact one person who can beat all others one-on-one. In that case, no amount of analysis can change the fact that the Condorcet candidate is preferred over all others, and should win.

Finally, Saari gives short shrift to strategic considerations. If everybody is honest his analysis gives excellent advice on running elections. However, his methods have loopholes that voters and candidates can exploit, trying to get the best outcome even if it means indicating an insincere preference order.

Ultimately, the study of elections has to balance two different approaches: Understanding what the people want based on the info they give, and understanding whether the system gives them incentives to give insincere info. Saari has great insight into the first part, but he doesn't seem as interested in the second part.

Election Math made Accessible: Cures Headaches, too!.......2001-11-29

This book makes some of Saari's most important research into the mathematics of voting accessible to a general audience for the first time. Personally, I greatly appreciate this book. With very little math background, I have tried in vain for the past year to comprehend some of Saari's research articles, with the assistance of a math professor. The result was very little comprehension, and a lot of headaches. This book has, for the first time, enabled me to understand some of the things I had struggled with in vain for months, and greatly increased my comprehension of many of those things I saw only dimly before. I thank the author for the mercy he has shown towards me, and similarly interested readers of his work.

At this time, Saari seems to be the world's leading researcher in the mathematics of voting and group decision making. While most of the general public, in the US at least, has remained almost entirely ignorant of the paradoxes of voting, mathematicians have recognized and struggled with them for centuries, since they recognized that the widespread rule that 'a plurality shall elect' can result in the election of the voters' least preferred candidate; for example, when there are 3 candidates, the plurality winner may be a candidate who is the last choice of up to two-thirds of the voters. Saari's recently published research papers, which resolve many of these profoundly difficult mind stumpers, and the recent US Presidential election, not to mention the begging and pleading of mathematical simpletons like myself, combined to motivate Saari to write this book.

If you are at all interested in having your vote properly accounted for in everything from selecting your group's next officer, to future national elections, I recommend this book to you. I guarantee that you will learn something worthwhile from it.

Let me add one last personal note for Wisconsin readers. I am briefly cited in this book in regard to the use of an alternative to the plurality voting procedure, called the 'Second Choice' procedure, in state primaries of Wisconsin's 'Progressive Era.' The use of such alternatives in the history of Wisconsin, and other states, proves that such electoral reforms are actually possible, given a sufficiently educated and motivated electorate. Saari has done the analysis, and made it accessible. Now, it is up to us to educate ourselves, and other voters, and then, in the light of our newfound knowledge, to demand more democratic election procedures.

Also recommended: Principles of Electoral Reform

Book Description

An Introduction to Coastal Zone Management, Second Edition offers a comprehensive overview of coastal planning and management issues for students and professionals in the field. Since publication of the first edition in 1994, population growth and increasing development pressures on our coasts have made the need for forward-looking, creative, and sustainable visions for the future even greater. This completely updated and revised edition includes:

significantly updated data and statistics including discussions of population and growth trends, federal and state coastal expenditures, disaster assistance expenditures, and damage levels from hurricanes and coastal storms
updated legislative and programmatic material, including the Stafford Act and mitigation assistance programs, and changes in the Coastal Zone Management Act
expanded coverage of physical and biological attributes and conditions of the coastal zone
expanded and updated discussions of innovative local coastal management
new chapters on creative coastal design and development and lessons from coastal programs in other countries

An Introduction to Coastal Zone Management, Second Edition is the only available book that addresses the serious coastal trends and pressures in the U.S., assesses the current policy and planning framework, and puts forth a compelling vision for future management and sustainable coastal planning. It is an important resource for undergraduate and graduate students of coastal planning as well as for local and state officials, residents of coastal communities, environmental advocates, developers, and others concerned with coastal issues.

Customer Reviews:

A scholarly and comprehensive look at the complex problems.......2002-09-08

Now in a second edition with updated statistics, references to legislation, discussions, and new knowledge about creative coastal design, and collaboratively written by Timothy Beatley (Professor, Department of Urban and Environmental Planning, University of Virginia), David J. Bower (Research Professor, Department of City and Regional Planning, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill); and Anna K. Schwab (Research Associate, Department of City and Regional Planning, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill), An Introduction To Coastal Zone Management is a scholarly and comprehensive look at the complex problems of environmental management of coastal areas. Written for students and professionals, An Introduction to Coastal Zone Management covers a wealth of topics including shoreline erosion, lake stratification, coastal sprawl, and much, much more. An Introduction To Coastal Zone Management is very highly recommended reading for anyone with a determined interest in the field and an essential addition to Environmental Studies academic reference collections.

A great intro.......2001-01-30

As a student of geography, I was given the opportunity to do some shoreline management work for the local county. Although I had taken some classes regarding shorelines, I needed a crash course in coastal management, and I was pointed to this book. Within two days, I knew as much as I needed to know about coastal issues.

The book covers a wide variety of issues, ranging from the history of coastal population concentration, environmental issues, private property rights, and zoning and other useful information for the planner. This book gave me a great introductory knowledge, and was able to satisfy most of my questions.

Book Description

This book offers a concise introduction to the processes, landforms, ecosystems, and management of coasts. Each chapter is illustrated and includes topical case studies from around the world.

Customer Reviews:

Basic Coastal Text.......2001-04-05

This is a very clear and elegant book which will appeal to students approaching coastal studies for the first time at the college or university level. The material is up-to-date and a vast improvement on existing texts that have been in print for many years.

Coastal Environments: An Introduction to the Physical, Ecological, and Cultural Systems of Coastlines

Average customer rating:

Coastal Environments: An Introduction to the Physical, Ecological, and Cultural Systems of Coastlines
R. W.G. Carter
Manufacturer: Academic Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Earth Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books

Tidelands | Ecosystems | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

All Amazon Upgrade | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Nonfiction | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Outdoors & Nature | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Professional & Technical | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Science | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Nonfiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Outdoors & Nature | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Professional | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Science | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

General | Ciencia | Libros en español | Formats | Books

Book Description

This original volume draws on the author's own research experiences in Ireland, Britain, France, Canada, and the United States to present a guide of coastal environments for applications of shoreline and environmental management. Topics include: long-term development of coasts, water supply and waste disposal, energy resources and coastal water management, coastal water management for recreation, coastal management of storm hazards, and managing world sea-level rise.

An Introduction To Coastal Zone Economics: Concepts, Methods And Case studies: Concepts, Methods & Case Studies

Average customer rating:

An Introduction To Coastal Zone Economics: Concepts, Methods And Case studies: Concepts, Methods & Case Studies
Steven Edwards
Manufacturer: Taylor & Francis
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Real Estate | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Natural Resources | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Coastal Zone Planning | Urban Planning & Development | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

An Introduction to planting and maintaining selected common coastal plants in Florida (Florida sea grant report)

Average customer rating:

An Introduction to planting and maintaining selected common coastal plants in Florida (Florida sea grant report)

Manufacturer: Florida Sea Grant College Program
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0912747056

Coastal Delaware: an introduction.: An article from: Underwater Naturalist

Average customer rating:

Coastal Delaware: an introduction.: An article from: Underwater Naturalist
George Kowallis
Manufacturer: The American Littoral Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

Tidelands | Ecosystems | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Science & Technology | Subjects | e-Docs | Formats | Books

An Introduction to Coastal Zone Management, 2nd edition. (Book: Environment and Restoration).(Book Review): An article from: Journal of the American Planning Association

Average customer rating:

An Introduction to Coastal Zone Management, 2nd edition. (Book: Environment and Restoration).(Book Review): An article from: Journal of the American Planning Association
Sandra Holder
Manufacturer: American Planning Association
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Journal of the American Planning Association, published by American Planning Association on June 22, 2003. The length of the article is 758 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: An Introduction to Coastal Zone Management, 2nd edition. (Book: Environment and Restoration).(Book Review)
Author: Sandra Holder
Publication: Journal of the American Planning Association (Refereed)
Date: June 22, 2003
Publisher: American Planning Association
Volume: 69 Issue: 3 Page: 322(2)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

An Introduction to Coastal Zone Management. (book reviews): An article from: Planning

Average customer rating:

An Introduction to Coastal Zone Management. (book reviews): An article from: Planning
Harold Henderson
Manufacturer: American Planning Association
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Planning, published by American Planning Association on November 1, 1995. The length of the article is 469 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: An Introduction to Coastal Zone Management. (book reviews)
Author: Harold Henderson
Publication: Planning (Magazine/Journal)
Date: November 1, 1995
Publisher: American Planning Association
Volume: v61 Issue: n11 Page: p27(2)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Coastal design with natural processes: Along the ocean and Great Lakes coastlines of the U.S.--an introduction (Landscape architecture technical information series)

Average customer rating:

Coastal design with natural processes: Along the ocean and Great Lakes coastlines of the U.S.--an introduction (Landscape architecture technical information series)
Stephen H Lopez
Manufacturer: American Society of Landscape Architects
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Coastal Zone Planning | Urban Planning & Development | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B00070VE6C

Coastal land management: An introduction (American Bar Foundation research journal)

Average customer rating:

Coastal land management: An introduction (American Bar Foundation research journal)
Gilbert L Finnell
Manufacturer: American Bar Foundation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Coastal Zone Planning | Urban Planning & Development | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0006Y0ECO

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books