SAGE Publications, Social Science Computer Review, 4(17), p. 435-444, 1999
DOI: 10.1177/089443939901700403
Full text: Unavailable
Computational research can make a contribution to practical politics. In the field of elections, there always has been an attempt to find the “ideal voting system” in terms of perfect fair representation of majorities and minorities in representative bodies. The project described in this article deals with the design and implementation of a proportional representation (PR) vote-tallying structural system (VTSS). The main purpose of this program is to carry out the vote-counting process within a multipost election. The VTSS can be described as a parameter-based multialgorithm system. It includes the single transferable vote, highest average, and greatest remainder voting methods. The last two receive parameters to particularize their execution, emulating well-known PR list systems. Although it was not the main objective, the VTSS has proven to be effective in analyzing and designing PR electoral systems.