Strategic Voting: Tactical Choices in Democratic Systems

Strategic Voting

Discover how "Strategic Voting" shapes democratic processes with this vital addition to the "Political Science" series. In today's ever-changing political landscape, understanding voters' strategic use of their votes is crucial for grasping the complexity of elections and democratic representation.

Chapters Brief Overviews

1: Strategic Voting - Explore how voters make strategic decisions to influence election results.

2: Approval Voting - Learn how voters select multiple candidates and how strategic choices emerge.

3: Plurality Voting - Investigate the strategic effects of electing the candidate with the most votes.

4: Proportional Representation - Understand how seats are allocated in proportion to votes, reducing strategic voting.

5: Score Voting - Discover how rating candidates on a scale reveals strategic behavior.

6: Two-Round System - Examine voters' tactics when a second round of voting is required.

7: First-Past-the-Post Voting - Uncover the strategic dilemmas such as vote splitting and tactical voting.

8: Vote Splitting - Analyze how similar candidates divide the vote and its effect on results.

9: Condorcet Winner Criterion - Explore electing the candidate who wins all head-to-head matchups.

10: Majority Criterion - Evaluate electing a candidate with majority support and its strategic impact.

11: Parallel Voting - Assess the complexities of using multiple voting systems in one election.

12: Wasted Vote - Understand when voters avoid supporting weaker candidates to prevent a wasted vote.

13: Condorcet Loser Criterion - Learn how this prevents the election of a broadly disliked candidate.

14: Later-No-Harm Criterion - See how ranking candidates doesn't harm others’ chances.

15: Single Transferable Vote - Explore how ranking candidates affects their viability.

16: Borda Count - Analyze how strategic ranking in Borda Count maximizes influence.

17: Instant-Runoff Voting - Investigate how eliminating lower-ranked candidates impacts strategies.

18: Electoral System - Compare how different electoral systems influence voter behavior.

19: Comparison of Systems - Discover how systems either encourage or reduce strategic voting.

20: STAR Voting - Explore the combination of score voting and instant-runoff.

21: Multiwinner Approval Voting - Assess how multiple selections ensure broader representation.

This book caters to professionals, students, and anyone interested in understanding the deeper mechanics of strategic voting. Readers will gain essential insights into how voting systems shape elections and how their choices can wield significant influence over democratic outcomes.