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Uncovering the "will of the people": heterogeneity and polarization within electorates

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  • Roy, Sunanda
  • Wu, Kuan Chuen
  • Chandra, Abhijit

Abstract

The present paper examines when, for any given preference profile or set of individual preference orders, is it possible to define a procedure independent or objective aggregate ranking of the alternatives, such that the aggregate ranking qualifies as the “will of the people”. It also investigates what message is being conveyed by the profile, when different procedures come up with different aggregate rankings. Specifically, the paper establishes a profile decomposition methodology that allows us to answer these two questions and tests this methodology on ballot data from the Cambridge City Council elections. Our method is easy to implement and admits any number of candidates. The empirical results based on the ballot data provides new hard evidence of increasing political polarization amongst a section of the US voters.

Suggested Citation

  • Roy, Sunanda & Wu, Kuan Chuen & Chandra, Abhijit, 2014. "Uncovering the "will of the people": heterogeneity and polarization within electorates," ISU General Staff Papers 201402250800001019, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:isu:genstf:201402250800001019
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