 | Term | Definition |
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equivalent voting systems |
two voting systems are equivalent if there is a way for all the voters of the first system to exchange places with the second system and preserve all winning coalitions |
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critical voter |
a member of a winning coalition whose vote is essential for the coalition to win |
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banzhaf power index |
a count of the winning coalitions in which a voter is a critical member. (measure of the actual voting power of that voter) |
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minimal winning coalition |
a winning coalition that will become losing if any member defects. EACH MEMBER IS A CRITICAL VOTER! |
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quota |
the minimum number of votes necessary to pass a measure in a weighted voting system |
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veto power |
a voter has veto power he is present in every winning coalition. nothing can pass without his vote. |
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winning coalition |
a set of participants in a voting system who can pass a measure by voting for it |
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weighted voting system |
a voting system in which each participant is assigned a voting weight . a quota is specified and if the sum of the voting weights of the voters supporting a motion is at least equal to that quota, the motion is approved. |
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pivotal voter |
the first voter in a permutation who, with his predecessors, will form a winning coalition. each permutation has one and only one pivotal voter. |
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dummy |
a participant who has no power in a voting system. a dummy is never a critical voter in any winning coalition and is never the pivotal voter in any permutation. |
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dictator |
a voter who is present in every winning coalition and absent from every losing coalition |
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coalition |
a set of participants in a voting system (from 0 to all) |
