A Pragmatic Method for Evaluating Election Schemes through Simulation

A simulation method is developed for assessing the desirability of different voting schemes in different situations and finds that approval voting seems to be a good voting scheme for mass elections.

Abstract

This article combines ideas from ethics, social choice, and political theory to develop a simulation method for assessing the desirability of different voting schemes in different situations. I use the method to evaluate six well-known election systems. My results are intuitive. I find that approval voting seems to be a good voting scheme for mass elections.