Voting Simulation for Improving Voter Turnout and Reducing the Number of Polling Places

Abstract

In this paper, we propose a voting simulation model for increasing voter turnout and reducing the number of polling places. First we develop utility functions of an elector for voting and not voting. Then we adjust a regional voting paremeter that combines the utility functions according to the voter turnout in each region. Through adjusting process using the actual turnout rate for each region, we could minimize the difference between the estimated voter turnout rate and the actual one in each area. Using the estimated parameters, we employ a two-objective genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) to find a polling place assignment to maximize the voter turnout rate and minimize the number of polling places without being lower than the actual rate by reallocating polling places. The simulation results show that we can increase the voter turnout rate and reduce the number of polling places without being lower than the actual rate.