GEMMW

Mathematics in the Modern World

MODULE 7: VOTING SYSTEM

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this module, the students should be able to:

1. Identify the different voting methods being used.

2. Determine the most appropriate voting method in a given situation.

3. Apply the concepts of voting in real life situation.

VOTING

Voting is to express one's views in response to a poll; especially to exercise a

political franchise. It is also a formal expression of opinion or choice, either positive or
negative, made by an individual or body of individuals.

There are different methods that can be used in voting. The plurality voting
method, plurality with elimination voting method, and weighted voting system are just
some of them.

PLURALITY VOTING METHOD

- The candidate or issue gets one vote from each voter and the candidate or the
issue with the highest number of votes wins.
- The winner may not have the majority of votes
- Alternative choices are not considered.

Examples:

A. Fifty people were asked to rank their preferences of five varieties of chocolate
candy, using 1 for their favorite and 5 for their least favorite. This type of ranking of
choices is called a preference schedule. The results are shown in the table below.
According to this table, which variety of candy would win the taste test using the
plurality voting system?
 Varieties of Chocolate Candy Rankings
Cloud 9 5 4 4 4 2 4
Flat Tops 1 5 5 5 5 5
Goya 2 3 2 1 3 3
La-La 4 1 1 3 4 2
Mallows 3 2 3 2 1 1
Number of Votes: 17 11 9 8 3 2

Solution:

- Identify the variety of chocolate candy/ies with 1st place votes (rank 1).

Varieties of Chocolate Candy Rankings

Cloud 9 5 4 4 4 2 4
Flat Tops 1 5 5 5 5 5
Goya 2 3 2 1 3 3
La-La 4 1 1 3 4 2
Mallows 3 2 3 2 1 1

- Get the number of votes corresponding the column with the said rank.

Varieties of Chocolate Candy Rankings

Cloud 9 5 4 4 4 2 4
Flat Tops 1 5 5 5 5 5
Goya 2 3 2 1 3 3
La-La 4 1 1 3 4 2
Mallows 3 2 3 2 1 1

Number of Votes: 17 11 9 8 3 2

- Get the total.

 Varieties of Chocolate Candy Number of Votes
Cloud 9 0
Flat Tops 17
Goya 8
La-La 11 + 9 = 20
Mallows 3+2=5

- The variety with the highest number of votes wins.

Since La-La got the highest number of votes, this variety of chocolate candy wins
the taste test using Plurality method.

B. A kindergarten class was surveyed to determine the children’s favorite cartoon

characters among Thomas the Train, Tayo the Little Bus, and Paw Patrol. The
students ranked the characters in order of preference; the results are shown in the
preference schedule below. How many students are in the class? How many votes
are required for a majority? Using plurality voting, which character is the children’s
favorite?

Cartoon Character Rankings

Thomas the Train 1 1 2 2 3 3
Tayo the Little Bus 2 3 1 3 1 2
Paw Patrol 3 2 3 1 2 1
Number of Votes: 6 4 6 5 6 8

Solution:

Cartoon Character Number of Votes

Thomas the Train 6 + 4 = 10
Tayo the Little Bus 6 + 6 = 12
Paw Patrol 5 + 8 = 13

Since Paw Patrol received the highest number of votes, therefore this is the
children’s favorite cartoon character.
Name:______________________________________Score:_________________
Section:_____________________________________Date:__________________

Activity 1
Plurality Voting Method

Instructions: Solve the following problems.

1. The members of a club are going to elect a president from four nominees using the
plurality voting method. If the 100 members of the club mark their ballots as shown
in the table below, who will be elected president?

Nominees Rankings
Bonifacio 2 2 2 2 3 2
Rizal 1 4 4 3 2 1
Mabini 3 3 1 4 1 4
Luna 4 1 3 1 4 3
Number of Votes: 30 24 18 12 10 6

2. A Little League baseball team must choose the colors for its uniforms. The coach
offered four different choices, and the players ranked them in order of preference,
as shown in the table below. What colors should be used for the uniforms?

Colors Rankings
Red and White 2 3 3 2
Green and Yellow 4 1 4 1
Red and Blue 3 4 2 4
Blue and White 1 2 1 3
Number of Votes: 72 57 61 38
3. Fifty consumers were surveyed about their movie-watching habits. They were asked
to rank the likelihood that they would participate in each listed activity. The results
are summarized in the table below. Which habit is mostly chosen?

Movie-watching Habits Rankings

Go to a Cinema 2 3 1 2 1
Download a movie 3 1 3 1 2
Stream online 1 2 2 3 3
Number of Votes: 8 13 15 7 7

4. There are four proposals for the name of a new football stadium at a college: Heron
Stadium, after the team mascot; Lopez Stadium, after a large university contributor;
Rivera Stadium, after a famous alumnus known for humanitarian work; and
Tolentino Stadium, after the college’s most winning football coach. The preference
schedule cast by alumni and students is shown below.

Name Rankings
Heron 2 3 1 2 4
Lopez 1 4 2 4 3
Rivera 3 1 4 3 2
Tolentino 4 2 3 1 1
Number of Votes: 752 678 599 512 487
5. A journalist reviewing various cellular phone services surveyed 250 customers and
asked each one to rank four service providers in order of preference. The group’s
results are shown below. Which provider is the favorite of these customers?

Service Provider Rankings

Samsung 3 4 2 3 4 1
Huawei 1 1 4 4 3 4
Myphone 2 2 1 2 1 2
Cherry Mobile 4 3 3 1 2 3
Number of Votes: 18 38 42 63 39 50
PLURALITY VOTING WITH ELIMINATION
- A variation of the plurality method.
- Considers voter’s alternate choices.
- The first to be eliminated is the alternative with the fewest number of first-place
votes (rank 1).
- If two or more of these alternatives have the same number of first-place votes, all
are eliminated.
- Voters do not change their preferences from round to round. The second choice
on those ballots becomes the first, the third choice becomes the second, and the
fourth choice becomes the third.

Examples:

A. Suppose that 30 members of a regional planning board must decide where to build
a new airport. The airport consultants to the regional board have recommended four
different sites. The preference schedule for the board members is shown in the
following table. Use plurality with elimination.

Place to put the new airport Rankings

Quezon City 3 1 2 3
Batangas 2 3 3 1
Mindoro 1 2 4 2
Sultan Kudarat 4 4 1 4
Number of Votes: 12 11 5 2

Solution:

*First Elimination
- Determine the number of 1st place votes.

Place to put the new airport Number of Votes

Quezon City 11
Batangas 2
Mindoro 12
Sultan Kudarat 5
- Eliminate the alternative with the fewest number of 1st place votes.

Since the second alternative (Batangas) obtained the fewest number of 1st place
votes, this alternative will be eliminated.

- Change the ranking of the remaining alternatives (as to the number of alternatives).

Place to put the new airport OLD Rankings

Quezon City 3 1 2 3
Batangas 2 3 3 1
Mindoro 1 2 4 2
Sultan Kudarat 4 4 1 4
Number of Votes: 12 11 5 2

Since the second alternative was eliminated, the lowest rank should be 3.
Therefore, the other ranks will be changed.
Note: *1st place votes will remain (if not eliminated).
*If eliminated, the second choice becomes the 1st, the third becomes the
2nd, the fourth becomes the 3rd, and so on.

Place to put the new airport NEW Rankings

Quezon City 2 1 2 2
Mindoro 1 2 3 1
Sultan Kudarat 3 3 1 3
Number of Votes: 12 11 5 2

- Repeat the process of elimination.

*Second Elimination

Place to put the new airport Number of Votes

Quezon City 11
Mindoro 12 + 2 = 14
Sultan Kudarat 5
 Since the 3rd alternative (Sultan Kudarat), this time, received the fewest number
of 1st place votes, then, this alternative will be eliminated.

Place to put the new airport NEW Rankings

Quezon City 2 1 1 2
Mindoro 1 2 2 1
Number of Votes: 12 11 5 2

*Third Elimination

Place to put the new airport Number of Votes

Quezon City 11 + 5 = 16
Mindoro 12 + 2 = 14

From the two remaining alternatives, the first (Quezon City), received the highest
number of votes. Therefore, Quezon City is the place where to put the new airport.

B. A university wants to add a new sport to its existing program. To help ensure that
the new sport will have student support, the students of the university are asked to
rank the four sports under consideration. The results are shown in the table. Use
plurality with elimination to identify the sports to be added.

Sports to consider Rankings

Football 3 2 3 1 1 2
Softball 2 1 4 2 3 1
Taekwondo 4 3 2 4 4 4
Futsal 1 4 1 3 2 3
Number of Votes: 326 297 287 250 214 197
Solution:

*First Elimination

Sports to consider Number of Votes

Football 250 + 214 = 464
Softball 297 + 197 = 494
Taekwondo 0
Futsal 326 + 287 = 613

Since Taekwondo has the fewest number of 1st place votes, it will be the first
alternative to be eliminated.

*Second Elimination

Sports to consider NEW Rankings

Football 3 2 2 1 1 2
Softball 2 1 3 2 3 1
Futsal 1 3 1 3 2 3
Number of Votes: 326 297 287 250 214 197

Sports to consider Number of Votes

Football 250 + 214 = 464
Softball 297 + 197 = 494
Futsal 326 + 287 = 613

Since the first alternative (Football) has the fewest number of 1 st place votes,
then, it will be eliminated.
*Third Elimination

Sports to consider NEW Rankings

Softball 2 1 2 1 2 1
Futsal 1 2 1 2 1 2
Number of Votes: 326 297 287 250 214 197

Sports to consider Number of Votes

Softball 297 + 250 + 197 = 744
Futsal 326 + 287 + 214 = 827

From the last elimination, the second alternative (Futsal) has the highest number
of 1st place votes. Therefore, it will be the sport to be considered by the University.
Name:______________________________________Score:_________________
Section:_____________________________________Date:__________________

Activity 2
Plurality Voting with Elimination

Instructions: Solve the following problems.

1. A number of college students were asked to rank four radio stations in order of
preference. The responses are given in the table below. Use plurality with
elimination to determine the students’ favorite radio station among the four.

Radio Stations Rankings

WNNX 3 1 1 2 4
WKLS 1 3 4 1 2
WWVY 4 2 2 3 1
WSTR 2 4 3 4 3
Number of Votes: 57 72 38 61 15

2. Club A campus club has money left over in its budget and must spend it before the
school year ends. The members arrive at five different possibilities, and each
member ranks them in order of preference. The results are shown in the table
below. Using plurality voting with elimination, how should the group spend the
money?

Ways of Spending the Money Rankings

Establish a scholarship 1 2 3 3 4
Pay for several members to travel to
2 1 2 1 5
training, seminars, and workshops
Buy equipment for the club 3 3 1 4 1
Conduct a year-end convocation 4 5 5 2 2
Donate to charity 5 4 4 5 3
Number of Votes: 108 105 112 109 107
3. A company is planning its annual summer retreat and has asked its employees to
rank five different choices of recreation in order of preference. The results are given
in the table below. Use the plurality with elimination method to determine which
activity should be chosen.

Choices of Recreation Rankings

Picnic in a park 1 2 1 3 4
Fishing in a lake 3 1 2 4 3
Going in an amusement park 2 5 5 1 2
Riding horses in a ranch 5 4 3 5 1
Doing dinner cruise 4 3 4 2 5
Number of Votes: 110 218 96 228 116

4. The Uriguel family is trying to decide where to hold a family reunion. They have
asked all their family members to rank four choices in order of preference. The
results are shown in the preference schedule below.

Place to Hold the Reunion Rankings

Microtel Palawan 3 1 2 3 1
Kimberly Hotel Tagaytay 1 2 3 4 4
Camp John Hay Baguio City 4 4 1 2 2
Shercon Resort Batangas 2 3 4 1 3
Number of Votes: 72 48 57 83 58
WEIGHTED VOTING SYSTEM
➢ A weighted voting system is one in which some voters have more weight on the
outcome of an election.
➢ A few examples are the stockholders of a company and the United Nations
Security Council.
➢ The number of votes that are required to pass a measure is called a quota (q).
➢ The weight of a voter (w) is the number of votes controlled by the voter.

❖ Various Voting System

◼ One person, one vote:
For instance, {5: 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1}. In this system,
each person has one vote and five votes, a majority, are
required to pass a measure.
◼ Dictatorship:
For instance, {20: 21, 6, 5, 4, 3}. In this system, the
person with 21 votes can pass any measure. Even if the
remaining four people get together, their votes do not total the
quota of 20.
◼ Null system:
For instance, {28: 6, 3, 5, 2}. If all the members of this system vote
for a measure, the total number of votes is 16, which is less than the
quota. Therefore, no measure can be passed
◼ Veto power system:
For instance, {21: 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1}. In this case, the sum of all the
votes is 21, the quota. Therefore, if any one voter does not vote for the
measure, it will fail. Each voter is said to have veto power. In this case,
this means that even the voter with one vote can veto a measure
(cause the measure not to pass).

➢ A coalition is a set of voters each of whom votes the same way, either for or
against a resolution.
➢ A winning coalition is a set of voters the sum of whose votes is greater than or
equal to the quota.
➢ A losing coalition is a set of voters the sum of whose votes is less than the
quota.
➢ A voter who leaves a winning coalition and thereby turns it into a losing coalition
is called a critical voter.
➢ The number of coalitions of n voters is the number of subsets that can be
formed from n voters.
➢ The number of possible coalitions of n voters is: 2n - 1.
Examples:

A. Suppose that the four owners of a company, Cayetano, Belmonte, Sotto, and
Moreno, own, respectively, 500 shares, 375 shares, 225 shares, and 400 shares.
There are a total of 1500 votes; half of this is 750, so the quota is 751. The
weighted voting system for this company is {751: 500, 375, 225, 400}.

a. Determine the winning coalitions.

b. For each winning coalition, determine the critical voter.

Solution:
a. Winning coalition/s, in this case, are those voter/s whose sum is greater than or
equal to the quota of 751. (Representation: A = Cayetano; B = Belmonte; C =
Sotto; and D = Moreno)

Possible number of coalitions = 2n - 1 = 24 - 1 = 23 = 8

No. Winning Coalition Number of Votes

1 {A, B} 500 + 375 = 875
2 {A, D} 500 + 400 = 900
3 {B, D} 375 + 400 = 775
4 {A, B, C} 500 + 375 + 225 = 1 100
5 {A, B, D} 500 + 375 + 400 = 1 275
6 {A, C, D} 500 + 225 + 400 = 1 125
7 {B, C, D} 375 + 225 + 400 = 1 000
8 {A, B, C, D} 500 + 375 + 225 + 400 = 1 500

b. Critical voter/s is/are voter/s whose votes when deducted to the total number of
votes will not reach the quota. In this case, for the winning coalition {A, B},
when the votes of A (500) will be deducted, it will leave a vote of 375; and when
the votes of B (375) will be deducted, it will leave a vote of 500. Both will not
reach the quota of 751. Therefore, voters A and B are critical voters for the
cited winning coalition. (See the list below for the critical voters for each winning
coalition.)
 No. Winning Coalition Number of Votes Critical Voter/s
1 {A, B} 500 + 375 = 875 A, B
2 {A, D} 500 + 400 = 900 A, D
3 {B, D} 375 + 400 = 775 B, D
4 {A, B, C} 500 + 375 + 225 = 1 100 A, B
5 {A, B, D} 500 + 375 + 400 = 1 275 None
6 {A, C, D} 500 + 225 + 400 = 1 125 A, D
7 {B, C, D} 375 + 225 + 400 = 1 000 B, D
8 {A, B, C, D} 500 + 375 + 225 + 400 = 1 500 None

B. Many countries must govern by forming coalitions from among many political
parties. Suppose a country has five political parties named A, B, C, D, and E. The
numbers of votes, respectively, for the five parties are 22, 18, 17, 10, and 5.
a. Determine the winning coalitions.
b. For each winning coalition, determine the critical voter.

Solution:
a. Winning coalition/s, in this case, are those voter/s whose sum is greater than or
equal to the quota of 37.

Possible number of coalitions = 2n - 1 = 25 - 1 = 24 = 16

No. Winning Coalition Number of Votes

1 {A, B} 22 + 18 = 40
2 {A, C} 22 + 17 = 39
3 {A, B, C} 22 + 18 + 17 = 57
4 {A, B, D} 22 + 18 + 10 = 50
5 {A, B, E} 22 + 18 + 5 = 45
6 {A, C, D} 22 + 17 + 10 = 49
7 {A, C, E} 22 + 17 + 5 = 44
8 {A, D, E} 22 + 10 + 5 = 37
9 {B, C, D} 18 + 17 + 10 = 45
 10 {B, C, E} 18 + 17 + 5 = 40
11 {A, B, C, D} 22 + 18 + 17 + 10 = 67
12 {A, B, C, E} 22 + 18 + 17 + 5 = 62
13 {A, B, D, E} 22 + 18 + 10 + 5 = 55
14 {A, C, D, E} 22 + 17 + 10 + 5 = 54
15 {B, C, D, E} 18 + 17 + 10 + 5 = 50
16 {A, B, C, D, E} 22 + 18 + 17 + 10 + 5 = 72

b.

No
Winning Coalition Number of Votes Critical Voter/s
.
1 {A, B} 22 + 18 = 40 A, B
2 {A, C} 22 + 17 = 39 A, C
3 {A, B, C} 22 + 18 + 17 = 57 A
4 {A, B, D} 22 + 18 + 10 = 50 A, B
5 {A, B, E} 22 + 18 + 5 = 45 A, B
6 {A, C, D} 22 + 17 + 10 = 49 A, C
7 {A, C, E} 22 + 17 + 5 = 44 A, C
8 {A, D, E} 22 + 10 + 5 = 37 A, D, E
9 {B, C, D} 18 + 17 + 10 = 45 B, C, D
10 {B, C, E} 18 + 17 + 5 = 40 B, C, E
11 {A, B, C, D} 22 + 18 + 17 + 10 = 67 None
12 {A, B, C, E} 22 + 18 + 17 + 5 = 62 None
13 {A, B, D, E} 22 + 18 + 10 + 5 = 55 A
14 {A, C, D, E} 22 + 17 + 10 + 5 = 54 A
15 {B, C, D, E} 18 + 17 + 10 + 5 = 50 B, C
16 {A, B, C, D, E} 22 + 18 + 17 + 10 + 5 = 72 None
Name:______________________________________Score:_________________
Section:_____________________________________Date:__________________

Activity 3
Weighted Voting System

Instructions: In each problem, determine the winning coalitions, and for each winning
coalition, determine the critical voter.

1. Voters A, B, C, D, and E in the weighted voting system of {15: 15, 10, 2, 1, 1}.

2. Voters A, B, C, and D in the weighted voting system of {28: 19, 6, 4, 2}.

3. Voters A, B, C, and D in the weighted voting system {31: 19, 15, 12, 10}.

4. A weighted voting system for voters A, B, C, D, and E is given by {35: 29, 11, 8, 4,
2}. The weight of voter A is 29, the weight of voter B is 11, the weight of voter C is 8,
the weight of voter D is 4, and the weight of voter E is 2.

5. The European Economic Community (EEC) was founded in 1958 and originally
consisted of Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands.
The weighted voting system was {12: 2, 4, 4, 4, 1, 2}.

6. Suppose that a government is composed of four political parties, A, B, C, and D.

The voting system for this government is {26: 18, 16, 10, 6}.

7. Suppose the stock in a company is held by five people, A, B, C, D, and E. The

voting system for this company is {626: 350, 300, 250, 200, 150}.
References:

Sirug, W. S. (2018). Mathematics in the Modern World