Overview
Voting is an important way we make all sorts of decisions, but there are a great many ways to vote. In this course, we will explore some of the mathematics of voting in an effort to make sense of the pros and cons of different voting procedures. In particular, we will see how simple but powerful ideas from combinatorics, geometry, and algebra allow us to compare and better understand a wide variety of well-known (and sometimes very controversial) voting procedures. Note: There are no prerequisites for this course, but enrollment is limited to first-year HMC students.Instructor
Michael Orrison ("lastname"@hmc.edu), Olin 1280. Office Hours: Tuesdays, 4:15-5:30 PM.
Textbooks
The Mathematics of Voting and Elections: A Hands-On Approach, by J. Hodge and R. Klima.
Chaotic Elections! A Mathematician Looks at Voting, by D. Saari.
Grading
There will be weekly reading assignments, weekly homework (20%) assignments, and two exams (30% each). The last 20% of your grade will be based on your class participation and the maximum of your exam scores.
The grading scale used in this course will be roughly the following: A 90%-100%, A- 85%-89%, B+ 80%-84%, B 70%-80%, B- 65%-69%, and so on. If you are being graded on the High Pass/Pass/No Credit scale, then a Pass will be equivalent to a C- or better, a High Pass will be equivalent to an A- or better.
Homework
You are encouraged to discuss the homework with other members of the class, and it is appropriate to acknowledge the assistance of others. You will, however, be expected to write up your solutions on your own. I will reserve the right to refuse to accept late homework, and I expect you to use the Math Department's suggested homework format.
Disabilities
Students who need disability-related accommodations are encouraged to discuss this with me as soon as possible.
PDFs and Interesting Links
FairVote.orgElection Maps
RangeVoting.org
ReDistricting Game
Generalized Condorcet Winners
Voting Simulation Visualizations