Oneyo Hook Exercise: What Makes an Election Fair?
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Directions: You are the producers of a popular television talent show called American Superstar.
The three finalists are chosen by a panel of experts. The overall winner is determined by calls from
viewers. There have been quite a few complaints about the voting process. Some people think it is
unfair because voters in a few big cities, like Los Angeles and New York, can basically pick the
winners. If voters live in a small town in Montana, for example, they feel their vote doesn't count.
As a producer for American Superstar, you are considering changing the voting process. Look at the
proposed ideas, then answer the questions.
14-
Ideas:
A. Give each state a certain number of American Superstar votes based on their population. The con-
testant with the most votes from each state wins all that state's Superstar votes. To make sure fans in
the smaller states feel that their votes count, give the ten smallest states extra Superstar votes.
B. Leave the system alone. Just have people vote - the person who gets the most votes from across the
nation wins.
tions.