Selecting the runoff pair

James Green-Armytage () and T. Nicolaus Tideman ()
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James Green-Armytage: New Jersey State Treasury
T. Nicolaus Tideman: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Public Choice, 2020, vol. 182, issue 1, No 6, 119-137

Abstract: Abstract Although two-round voting procedures are common, the theoretical voting literature rarely discusses any such rules beyond the traditional plurality runoff rule. Therefore, using four criteria in conjunction with two data-generating processes, we define and evaluate nine “runoff pair selection rules” that comprise two rounds of voting, two candidates in the second round, and a single final winner. The four criteria are: social utility from the expected runoff winner (UEW), social utility from the expected runoff loser (UEL), representativeness of the runoff pair (Rep), and resistance to strategy (RS). We examine three rules from each of three categories: plurality rules, utilitarian rules and Condorcet rules. We find that the utilitarian rules provide relatively high UEW and UEL, but low Rep and RS. Conversely, the plurality rules provide high Rep and RS, but low UEW and UEL. Finally, the Condorcet rules provide high UEW, high RS, and a combination of UEL and Rep that depends which Condorcet rule is used.

Keywords: Runoff election; Two-round system; Condorcet; Hare; Borda; Approval voting; Single transferable vote; CPO-STV (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D71 D72 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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DOI: 10.1007/s11127-019-00673-9

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