Introduction to Voting

Voting is a process of making a choice or decision through the casting of ballots or other means of expressing preference. It is
a fundamental aspect of democracy, as it allows citizens to participate in the decision-making process and have a say in how
their society is governed.

In voting, individuals are typically presented with a set of options or candidates and are asked to choose their preferred one.
The method of voting can vary depending on the context and the system in place, but it generally involves marking a ballot,
clicking a button on an electronic voting machine, or making a verbal or written statement.

There are many different types of voting systems, including simple plurality voting, where the candidate with the most votes
wins, and ranked choice voting, where voters rank their preferred candidates in order of preference. The type of voting system
used can have a significant impact on the outcome of an election and the representation of different groups in society.

Overall, voting is a crucial component of democratic societies, as it allows individuals to have a voice in the decision-making
process and helps to ensure that the government is accountable to the people it serves.
TYPES OF VOTING
There are several types of voting systems that are used in different countries and contexts. Here are some of the most
common types:

1. Plurality voting: This is the simplest form of voting, where the candidate who receives the most votes is elected,
regardless of whether they have a majority of the total votes cast. This system is used in many countries, including the
United States and the United Kingdom.
2. Majority voting: In this system, a candidate must receive more than 50% of the votes to win. If no candidate receives a
majority of votes, a run-off election may be held between the top two candidates.
3. Ranked choice voting: Also known as preferential voting or instant-runoff voting, this system allows voters to rank
candidates in order of preference. If no candidate receives a majority of first-choice votes, the candidate with the
fewest votes is eliminated, and their votes are redistributed based on the voters' second-choice preferences. This
process continues until one candidate receives a majority of the votes.
4. Proportional representation: This system aims to ensure that the number of seats a party receives in an election is
proportional to the number of votes they receive. There are several different methods of proportional representation,
including party-list proportional representation and mixed-member proportional representation.
5. Cumulative voting: This system is used in some local and regional elections, where voters are given multiple votes that
they can distribute among the candidates as they see fit.
6. Electronic voting: This system uses electronic devices, such as touch screens or ballot marking machines, to record and
count votes. Electronic voting can be faster and more efficient than paper-based voting, but it can also raise concerns
about security and accuracy.

The choice of voting system can have a significant impact on the outcome of an election and the representation of different
groups in society. Therefore, it is essential to choose a system that is fair, transparent, and representative of the electorate.
TYPES OF VOTING IN ASEA
There are several types of voting systems used in different countries in the ASEAN region. Here are some of the most
common types:

1. First-past-the-post: This system is used in countries like Cambodia and the Philippines, where the candidate who
receives the most votes in a constituency is elected.
2. Single transferable vote: This system is used in countries like Indonesia and Malaysia for their parliamentary elections.
Voters rank candidates in order of preference, and candidates who receive enough votes are elected. It aims to ensure
that minority groups are represented in the legislature.
3. Party-list proportional representation: This system is used in countries like Thailand and the Philippines for their
legislative elections. Political parties submit a list of candidates, and voters vote for the party, not the candidate. Seats
are then allocated to parties based on the proportion of votes they receive.
4. Mixed-member proportional representation: This system is used in countries like Myanmar and Timor-Leste. Voters
cast two votes - one for a candidate in their constituency and one for a political party. Half of the seats in the
legislature are filled by the first-past-the-post system, and the other half are filled based on proportional
representation.
5. Preferential voting: This system is used in Singapore for their presidential elections. Voters rank candidates in order of
preference, and the candidate with the most votes wins. However, if no candidate receives more than 50% of the
votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and their votes are redistributed based on voters' second-
choice preferences.

The choice of voting system can have a significant impact on the outcome of an election and the representation of different
groups in society. Therefore, it is essential to choose a system that is fair, transparent, and representative of the electorate.
VOTING IN THE PHILIPPINES
Voting in the Philippines is conducted through a manual paper-based system. The country uses a first-past-the-post voting
system, where voters choose one candidate for each position being contested, and the candidate with the most votes wins.

The Philippines has a multi-party system, and candidates can run as independents or as members of political parties. The
country also has a bicameral legislature consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives, with members of both
houses elected through popular vote.

To be eligible to vote in the Philippines, a person must be at least 18 years old, a Filipino citizen, and a resident of the
Philippines for at least one year. Voter registration is mandatory, and voters must register at least six months before an
election.

The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) is responsible for administering elections in the Philippines. It oversees the voter
registration process, sets the guidelines for campaign spending, and ensures that the election is conducted fairly and
transparently.

The Philippines has a long history of voter turnout, with over 75% of eligible voters casting their ballots in recent elections.
However, there are also concerns about electoral fraud, vote-buying, and violence during election campaigns.

Overall, voting is an important part of the democratic process in the Philippines, and the country is continuously working to
improve its electoral system to ensure free, fair, and credible elections.
Different methods of voting to determine a winner.
Here are some examples of how different voting methods could determine a winner in a hypothetical election:

1. Plurality voting: In this system, the candidate who receives the most votes wins. For example, if there are three
candidates running for office and Candidate A receives 40% of the votes, Candidate B receives 35% of the votes, and
Candidate C receives 25% of the votes, Candidate A would be the winner.
2. Majority voting: In this system, a candidate must receive more than 50% of the votes to win. If no candidate receives a
majority of votes, a run-off election may be held between the top two candidates. For example, if there are four
candidates running for office and Candidate A receives 45% of the votes, Candidate B receives 30% of the votes,
Candidate C receives 20% of the votes, and Candidate D receives 5% of the votes, a run-off election would be held
between Candidate A and Candidate B.
3. Ranked choice voting: In this system, voters rank candidates in order of preference. If no candidate receives a majority
of first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and their votes are redistributed based on the
voters' second-choice preferences. This process continues until one candidate receives a majority of the votes. For
example, if there are four candidates running for office and Candidate A receives 35% of the first-choice votes,
Candidate B receives 30% of the first-choice votes, Candidate C receives 20% of the first-choice votes, and Candidate
D receives 15% of the first-choice votes, Candidate D would be eliminated, and their votes would be redistributed
based on their voters' second-choice preferences.
4. Proportional representation: In this system, the number of seats a party receives in an election is proportional to the
number of votes they receive. For example, if there are 10 seats in the legislature and Party A receives 40% of the
votes, Party B receives 30% of the votes, and Party C receives 30% of the votes, Party A would receive four seats, Party
B would receive three seats, and Party C would receive three seats.
5. Cumulative voting: In this system, voters are given multiple votes that they can distribute among the candidates as
they see fit. For example, if there are six candidates running for three seats, and each voter has three votes, they could
choose to give all three votes to one candidate, or distribute them among different candidates.

These are just a few examples of how different voting methods could be used to determine a winner in an election. The choice
of voting method can have a significant impact on the outcome of an election and the representation of different groups in
society. Therefore, it is essential to choose a system that is fair, transparent, and representative of the electorate.
Apply the fairness criterion and Arrows’ Impossibility Theorem on voting methods.
The fairness criterion is an important principle in voting theory that ensures that each individual voter has an equal
opportunity to influence the outcome of an election. The principle of fairness requires that the voting method should treat all
voters and candidates equally, without any bias towards any particular group or individual.

Arrow's Impossibility Theorem, also known as Arrow's Paradox, is a fundamental result in social choice theory that states that
it is impossible to construct a voting method that satisfies all of the following criteria simultaneously:

1. Unrestricted Domain: The method must allow for any possible set of individual preferences to be expressed by the
voters.
2. Pareto Efficiency: If every voter prefers candidate A to candidate B, then the method must choose A over B.
 3. Independence of Irrelevant Alternatives: The method must not change its preference orderings between two
candidates if a third candidate is removed from consideration.
4. Non-Dictatorship: The method must not allow any single individual to determine the outcome of the election.

Applying the fairness criterion to voting methods means that we should design a method that does not favor any specific
group or individual. In practice, this means that the method should be designed to treat all voters equally, and that no
individual or group should have an undue influence on the outcome of the election. One way to achieve this is to use a voting
method that treats all voters equally, such as a simple plurality vote.

However, Arrow's Impossibility Theorem suggests that it is impossible to design a voting method that satisfies all of the
criteria of unrestricted domain, Pareto efficiency, independence of irrelevant alternatives, and non-dictatorship. This means
that no matter what voting method is used, it will inevitably fail to meet one or more of these criteria, and therefore, may not
be considered completely fair.

For example, a voting method that satisfies the Pareto efficiency criterion may fail to satisfy the independence of irrelevant
alternatives criterion, as changing the set of candidates can affect the winner. Similarly, a method that satisfies the non-
dictatorship criterion may fail to satisfy the Pareto efficiency criterion, as a voter-preferred candidate may not always win.

Therefore, while it is important to strive for fairness in voting methods, Arrow's Impossibility Theorem suggests that we may
need to make trade-offs between different fairness criteria. Ultimately, the choice of voting method will depend on the
specific context, the goals of the election, and the preferences of the voters.
WEIGHTED VOTING SYSTEM
A weighted voting system is a method of voting in which each voter has a different number of votes, depending on their position
or status within the group. The number of votes assigned to each voter is based on a predetermined formula or criteria,
such as seniority, ownership, or investment in the organization.
In a weighted voting system, the total number of votes available is usually fixed, and the votes are distributed among the voters
based on their weight. For example, in a board of directors meeting, the chairman may have five votes, while other directors
may have one vote each.
The purpose of a weighted voting system is to give more influence to certain individuals or groups based on their level of
involvement or interest in the decision-making process. This type of system is commonly used in corporate governance,
where shareholders may have different voting rights based on the number of shares they hold.
However, weighted voting systems can also be controversial, as they can give disproportionate power to certain individuals or
groups and can be used to manipulate the outcome of a vote. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the criteria used to
determine the weight of each vote is fair and transparent, and that the system is not abused for personal gain.
Overall, a weighted voting system is a way to provide differential voting power to individuals or groups based on predetermined
criteria, and it can be an effective tool for decision-making in certain contexts.
EXAMPLE OF WEIGHTED VOTING SYSTEM
Here is an example of a weighted voting system:

1. Suppose there is a homeowner’s association with 10 members, and they are voting on a proposal to build a new community
center. The association has determined that the weight of each vote will be based on the property value of each member's home.

The total property value of all 10 members is P10 million, and each member's property value is as follows:

 Member 1: P1 million  Member 6: P1.25 million

 Member 2: P500,000  Member 7: P1.75 million
 Member 3: P1.5 million  Member 8: P500,000
 Member 4: P2 million  Member 9: P750,000
 Member 5: P750,000  Member 10: P1 million

To determine the weight of each member's vote, the association calculates the percentage of the total property value that each member's property
represents:

 Member 1: 10%  Member 6: 12.5%

 Member 2: 5%  Member 7: 17.5%
 Member 3: 15%  Member 8: 5%
 Member 4: 20%  Member 9: 7.5%
 Member 5: 7.5%  Member 10: 10%

Based on these percentages, each member is assigned a number of votes equal to their percentage of the total property value multiplied by the
total number of votes (which is 100 in this example). So, the number of votes each member would have is:

 Member 1: 10 votes (10% x 100)  Member 6: 12.5 votes (12.5% x 100)

 Member 2: 5 votes (5% x 100)  Member 7: 17.5 votes (17.5% x 100)
 Member 3: 15 votes (15% x 100)  Member 8: 5 votes (5% x 100)
 Member 4: 20 votes (20% x 100)  Member 9: 7.5 votes (7.5% x 100)
 Member 5: 7.5 votes (7.5% x 100)  Member 10: 10 votes (10% x 100)

In this example, Member 4 has the most voting power, with 20 votes, while Members 2 and 8 have the least voting power, with 5 votes each. This
means that if the proposal to build a new community center is put to a vote, the outcome will be determined by the weighted votes of the
members, and not by a simple majority vote.
2. Suppose a student's grade in a class is calculated based on two exams and a final project. The first exam is worth 20% of the grade, the second
exam is worth 30%, and the final project is worth 50%. If the student received a 90 on the first exam, an 80 on the second exam, and a 95 on the
final project, what is their final grade in the class?

Solution: To calculate the final grade, we need to use a weighted average. We will multiply each score by its corresponding weight and then add
them up, then divide by the total weight.

Final grade = (0.20 x 90) + (0.30 x 80) + (0.50 x 95) Final grade = 18 + 24 + 47.5 Final grade = 89.5
Therefore, the student's final grade in the class is 89.5%.

Activity:

Do the activity in a 1 whole sheet of paper. 20 points

Read and understand the problem and answer what is asked. Show your solution.
1. Suppose a company is calculating a price index to track inflation in their industry. The price index is calculated based on
three categories: raw materials, labor, and transportation. Raw materials make up 40% of the index, labor makes up 30%, and
transportation makes up 30%. If the raw materials index increased by 10%, the labor index increased by 5%, and the
transportation index increased by 8%, what is the overall price index increase?