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Article
Efficiency and Equity Tradeoffs in Voting Machine Allocation Problems
Journal of Operational Research Society
  • Xinfang Wang, Georgia Southern University
  • Muer Yang, University of St. Thomas
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
11-12-2014
DOI
10.1057/jors.2014.107
Abstract

Efficiency and equity are the two crucial factors to be considered when allocating public resources such as voting machines. Existing allocation models are all single-objective, focusing on maximizing either efficiency or equity despite the fact that the actual decision-making process involves both issues simultaneously. We propose a bi-objective integer program to analyse the tradeoff between the two competing objectives. The new model quantifies the sacrifice in efficiency in order to achieve a certain improvement in equity and vice versa. Using data from the 2008 United States Presidential election in Franklin County, Ohio, we demonstrate that our model is capable of producing significantly more balanced allocation plans, in terms of efficiency and equity, than current practice or other competing methods.

Citation Information
Xinfang Wang and Muer Yang. "Efficiency and Equity Tradeoffs in Voting Machine Allocation Problems" Journal of Operational Research Society Vol. 66 Iss. 8 (2014) p. 1363 - 1369 ISSN: 1476-9360
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/xinfang_wang/16/