[pep-8001] Explain why people cannot change their votes

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Łukasz Langa 2018-11-14 16:58:30 +01:00
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@ -112,8 +112,10 @@ Which will have the effect of:
* The detailed ballots will *not* include any identifying information
and the email addresses of the voters will be thrown away by the CIVS
system as soon as the email with their voting link has been sent.
* Voters will *not* be able to write in new choices, and will be limited
only to the options specified in the election.
* Voters will *not* be able to write in new choices, meaning they will
be limited only to the options specified in the election.
* Voters will *not* have the ability to change their vote after casting
a ballot. [no-changes]_
* The default ordering for each ballot will be randomized to remove
any influence that the order of the ballot may have on the election.
* Voters will have to rank all choices somehow, but may rank multiple
@ -127,6 +129,12 @@ orders all candidate PEPs from the most preferred to the least
preferred. The vote will be tallied and a winner chosen using the
`Condorcet method <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Condorcet_method>`_.
Note: each voter can only cast a single vote with no ability to
revise their vote later. [no-changes]_ If you are not absolutely
sure of your choices, hold off casting your ballot until later in
the voting period. Votes cast on the last day of the election are
just as valid as the ones cast on the first day.
While the CIVS system does not provide an option for a "Pure"
Condorcet election, any Condorcet method will select the "Pure"
Condorcet winner if one exists and otherwise only vary if one
@ -181,29 +189,37 @@ Why should the vote be private?
When discussing the election system, a number of core developers expressed
concerns with the idea of having public ballots, with at least one core
developer stating that they were planning on abstaining from voting
altogether due to the use of a public ballot.
altogether due to the use of a public ballot. A poll ran on Discourse
identified the overwhelming majority of voters prefer private ballots.
[private-vote]_
A secret ballot is considered by many to be a requirement for a free and
fair election, allowing members to vote their true preferences without
worry about social pressure or possible fallout for how they may have
voted.
Why the use of CIVS?
--------------------
In the resulting discussion of this PEP, it was determined that core
developers wished to have a secret ballot. Unfortunately a secret ballot
requires either novel cryptography or a trusted party to anonymize the
ballots. Since there is not known to be any existing novel cryptographic
systems for Condorcet ballots, the CIVS system was chosen to act as a
trusted party.
developers wished to have a secret ballot. [private-vote]_ Unfortunately
a secret ballot requires either novel cryptography or a trusted party to
anonymize the ballots. Since there is not known to be any existing novel
cryptographic systems for Condorcet ballots, the CIVS system was chosen to
act as a trusted party.
More information about the security and privacy afforded by CIVS, including
how a malicous voter, election supervisor, or CIVS administrator can
influence the election can be be found
`here <https://civs.cs.cornell.edu/sec_priv.html>`_.
Why cannot voters change their vote?
------------------------------------
CIVS does not allow voters to update their vote and as part of its goal
to prevent the election supervisor from being able to influence the
votes.
Are there any deficiencies in the Condorcet method?
------------------------------------------------------------
@ -227,6 +243,13 @@ there are 21 or more voters, though, is
`less than 1.5% <https://www.accuratedemocracy.com/l_cycles.htm>`_.
References
==========
.. [no-changes] https://discuss.python.org/t/pep-8001-public-or-private-ballots/374/20
.. [private-votes] https://discuss.python.org/t/pep-8001-public-or-private-ballots/374/4
Copyright
=========