Preference ranking is an ordered list in which voters rank choices based on their personal preferences. It is commonly used in voting methods to determine a collective decision from individual rankings.
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Preference ranking allows voters to express their choices in order of preference rather than selecting just one option.
In the Borda Count method, points are assigned based on the position of each choice in a voter's preference ranking.
The Condorcet method uses preference rankings to compare each candidate head-to-head against every other candidate.
Preference rankings can lead to different outcomes depending on the voting method used, such as plurality, instant-runoff, or Borda count.
Arrow's Impossibility Theorem states that no voting system can convert individual preference rankings into a community-wide ranking while also meeting certain fairness criteria.
Review Questions
How does preference ranking differ from single-choice voting?
What role does preference ranking play in the Borda Count method?
Can you name a theorem related to the limitations of using preference rankings in voting systems?
Related terms
Borda Count: A voting method where candidates are ranked and points are assigned based on their positions in each voter's ranking.
Condorcet Method: A voting system that selects the candidate who would win a head-to-head competition against each of the other candidates.
Instant-Runoff Voting (IRV): A voting method where voters rank choices and the least preferred options are eliminated in sequential rounds until one candidate has a majority.