This article is about the contention that an individual's vote will probably not affect the outcome. For the intransitivity of majority rule among three or more alternatives, see Voting paradox.
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The paradox of voting, also called Downs' paradox, is that for a rational, self-interested voter, the costs of voting will normally exceed the expected benefits. Because the chance of exercising the pivotal vote is minuscule compared to any realistic estimate of the private individual benefits of the different possible outcomes, the expected benefits of voting are less than the costs.
Responses to the paradox have included the view that voters vote to express their preference for a candidate rather than affect the outcome of the election, that voters exercise some degree of altruism, or that the paradox ignores the collateral benefits associated with voting besides the resulting electoral outcome.
The paradoxofvoting, also called Downs' paradox, is that for a rational, self-interested voter, the costs ofvoting will normally exceed the expected...
In social choice theory, a Condorcet paradox (or votingparadox) is a situation where majority rule behaves in a way that is self-contradictory. In such...
Compulsory voting, also called universal civic duty voting or mandatory voting, is the requirement that registered voters participate in an election. As of January...
both their best interests to do so. Votingparadox: Also known as Condorcet's paradox and paradoxofvoting. A group of separately rational individuals may...
Different voting systems allow each voter to cast a different number ofvotes - only one (single voting as in First-past-the-post voting, Single non-transferable...
applied to the forefinger (usually) of voters during elections in order to prevent electoral fraud such as double voting. It is an effective method for countries...
An open ballot system is a voting method in which voters vote openly, in contrast to a secret ballot, where a voter's choices are confidential. The open...
Postal voting is voting in an election where ballot papers are distributed to electors (and typically returned) by post, in contrast to electors voting in...
Electronic voting is voting that uses electronic means to either aid or take care of casting and counting ballots. Depending on the particular implementation...
than half of those entitled to vote and registering any evidence of having some opinion." Voting for the Hugo Awards is by instant runoff voting, in which...
election but which prevents anyone from accessing the votes cast until the close of the voting period. A ballot drop box allows voters who have received...
JSTOR 30022874?seq=1. S2CID 153482816. Condorcet's paradox [6] of simple majority voting occurs in a voting situation [...] if for every alternative there...
majority vote is the unique neutral, anonymous, and positively responsive voting rule. Compensation principle Computational social choice Condorcet paradox Emotional...
rational individuals would choose to vote despite its apparent lack of individual benefit, explaining the paradoxofvoting. The theory suggests that individual...
Voting booths A voting booth or polling booth (in British English) is a room or cabin in a polling station where voters are able to cast their vote in...
ballot is a device used to cast votes in an election and may be found as a piece of paper or a small ball used in voting. It was originally a small ball...
Weighted voting refers to voting rules that grant some voters a greater influence than others (which contrasts with rules that assign every voter an equal...
as the number of seats being filled increases, unless a pro-landslide voting system is used such as general ticket voting. The concept of magnitude explains...
A precinct or voting district (U.S. terms), polling district (UK term) or polling division (Canadian term), is a subdivision of an electoral district...
slaves would be better off not voting in order to make a visible protest—but this is a tactical not a moral consideration. Voting would not be evil but, in...
ballot in order to vote. Voting can be done in Korean overseas missions. No registration is required: all Spanish citizens ofvoting age are listed in...
favorite betrayal or lesser-evil voting). Gibbard's theorem and the multiwinner Duggan–Schwartz theorem show that no voting system has a single "always-best"...
improve the efficiency ofvoting by the introduction of postal voting and remote electronic voting. Some countries permit proxy voting, but some argue this...
Some paper-based voting systems and most DRE voting machines can notify voters of under-votes and over-votes. The Help America Vote Act requires that...
Early voting, also called advance polling or pre-poll voting, is a convenience voting process by which voters in a public election can vote before a scheduled...