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Who should cast the casting vote? Using sequential voting to amalgamate information

Author

Listed:
  • Steve Alpern

    (University of Warwick)

  • Bo Chen

    (University of Warwick)

Abstract

In this study, we are concerned with how agents can best amalgamate their private information about a binary state of Nature. The agents are heterogeneous in their “ability”, the quality of their private information. The agents cannot directly communicate their private information but instead can only vote between the two states (say “Innocent” or “Guilty” on a criminal jury). We first describe possible methods of sequential majority voting, and then we analyze a particular one: the first $$n-1$$ n - 1 jurors vote simultaneously and, in the case of a tie, the remaining juror has the casting vote. We prove that when $$n=3$$ n = 3 (a common situation for a tribunal of three judges), the probability of a correct verdict is maximized when the agent of median ability has the casting vote.

Suggested Citation

  • Steve Alpern & Bo Chen, 2017. "Who should cast the casting vote? Using sequential voting to amalgamate information," Theory and Decision, Springer, vol. 83(2), pages 259-282, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:theord:v:83:y:2017:i:2:d:10.1007_s11238-017-9593-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s11238-017-9593-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Eddie Dekel & Michele Piccione, 2000. "Sequential Voting Procedures in Symmetric Binary Elections," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 108(1), pages 34-55, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Steve Alpern & Bo Chen, 2020. "Optimizing Voting Order on Sequential Juries: A Median Voter Theorem and Beyond," Papers 2006.14045, arXiv.org, revised Oct 2021.

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