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Vote or Shout

Author

Listed:
  • Chakravarty Surajeet

    (University of Exeter, s.chakravarty@exeter.ac.uk)

  • Kaplan Todd R

    (University of Exeter, trkaplan@exeter.ac.uk)

Abstract

We examine an environment with n voters, each with a private value over two alternatives. We compare the social surplus of two mechanisms for deciding between them: majority voting and shouting. In majority voting, the choice with the most votes wins. With shouting, the voter who shouts the loudest (sends the costliest wasteful signal) chooses the outcome. We find that it is optimal to use voting in the case where n is large and the value for each particular alternative of the voters is bounded. For other cases, the superior mechanism is depends upon the order statistics of the distribution of values.

Suggested Citation

  • Chakravarty Surajeet & Kaplan Todd R, 2010. "Vote or Shout," The B.E. Journal of Theoretical Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 10(1), pages 1-14, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:bejtec:v:10:y:2010:i:1:n:42
    DOI: 10.2202/1935-1704.1682
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Austen-Smith, David & Banks, Jeffrey S., 1996. "Information Aggregation, Rationality, and the Condorcet Jury Theorem," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 90(1), pages 34-45, March.
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    Blog mentions

    As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
    1. When voting is not optimal
      by Economic Logician in Economic Logic on 2010-05-25 19:41:00

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    Cited by:

    1. Chakravarty, Surajeet & Kaplan, Todd R. & Myles, Gareth, 2018. "When costly voting is beneficial," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 167(C), pages 33-42.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • C70 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - General
    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior

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