Date of Award
2024
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Computer Science
Department
Computer Science and Statistics
First Advisor
Edmund Lamagna
Abstract
Gerrymandering is the manipulation of electoral district borders in a way that gives one party or group an unfair advantage over another in elections. In recent years, the problem has received renewed attention from computer scientists and mathematicians seeking to offer methods for the fair redistricting of electoral maps. In this work we demonstrate how board games can be used as a tool for conducting research in mathematical redistricting. By studying the issue on a small scale, we can draw insights applicable to the larger, computationally difficult problem of real world redistricting. Specifically, we develop a measurement that quantifies the susceptibility of a party’s vote to the gerrymandering practice of “packing”. We then assess the reliability of this measurement. Finally, we leverage the new measurement to test a hypothesis in order to investigate the effect of low “packability” scores on election outcomes.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Gotov, Ventsislav, "USING BOARD GAMES FOR RESEARCH IN MATHEMATICAL REDISTRICTING" (2024). Open Access Master's Theses. Paper 2528.
https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/theses/2528