SELF-EQUIVALENT VOTING RULES

Abstract: this paper introduces a novel stability axiom for stochastic voting rules—called self-equivalence—by which a society considering whether to replace its voting rule using itself will choose not do so. It then shows that under the unrestricted domain of strict preferences, a voting rule satisfying the democratic principles of anonymity, optimality, responsiveness and neutrality is self-equivalent if and only if it is proportional. Thus, any society that adheres to the aforementioned democratic principles is bound to employ proportional voting rule (i.e., uniform random dictatorship) if it also desires stability.

Author: Héctor HERMIDA-RIVERA.

Keywords: voting, proportionality, self-equivalence.

JEL Codes: D71, D82.