Voting Theory
In voting systems, independence of irrelevant alternatives is often interpreted as, if one candidate (X) wins the election, and a new candidate (Y) is added to the ballot, only X or Y will win the election.
Approval voting and range voting satisfy the independence of irrelevant alternatives criterion. Another cardinal system, cumulative voting, does not satisfy the criterion.
An anecdote which illustrates a violation of this property has been attributed to Sidney Morgenbesser:
- After finishing dinner, Sidney Morgenbesser decides to order dessert. The waitress tells him he has two choices: apple pie and blueberry pie. Sidney orders the apple pie. After a few minutes the waitress returns and says that they also have cherry pie at which point Morgenbesser says "In that case I'll have the blueberry pie."
All voting systems have some degree of inherent susceptibility to strategic nomination considerations. Some regard these considerations as less serious unless the voting system specifically fails the (easier to satisfy) independence of clones criterion.
Read more about this topic: Independence Of Irrelevant Alternatives
Famous quotes containing the words voting and/or theory:
“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or backgammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and wrong, with moral questions; and betting naturally accompanies it. The character of the voters is not staked. I cast my vote, perchance, as I think right; but I am not vitally concerned that right should prevail. I am willing to leave it to the majority.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“We have our little theory on all human and divine things. Poetry, the workings of genius itself, which, in all times, with one or another meaning, has been called Inspiration, and held to be mysterious and inscrutable, is no longer without its scientific exposition. The building of the lofty rhyme is like any other masonry or bricklaying: we have theories of its rise, height, decline and fall—which latter, it would seem, is now near, among all people.”
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881)