The elimination paradox: apportionment in the Democratic Party

Michael A. Jones (), David McCune () and Jennifer Wilson ()
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Michael A. Jones: Mathematical Reviews
David McCune: William Jewell College
Jennifer Wilson: Eugene Lang College, The New School

Public Choice, 2019, vol. 178, issue 1, No 4, 53-65

Abstract: Abstract To award delegates in their presidential primary elections, the US Democratic Party uses Hamilton’s method of apportionment after eliminating any candidates (and their votes) that receive less than 15% of the total votes cast. We illustrate how a remaining candidate may have his or her delegate total decline as a result of other candidates being eliminated; this leads to a new elimination paradox. We relate that paradox to the new states, no show, and population paradoxes and show that divisor methods are not susceptible to the elimination paradox. We conclude with instances in which the elimination paradox may occur in other contexts, including parliamentary systems.

Keywords: Elimination paradox; Democratic primary; Population monotonicity; 91B32; 91B12; 91F10 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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DOI: 10.1007/s11127-018-0608-3

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