# Dancing with Donald: Polarity in the 2016 Presidential Election

## TL;DR

This paper examines how different voting policies and mechanisms can influence election outcomes, especially focusing on electing the least polarizing candidate, using the 2016 US Presidential Election as a case study.

## Contribution

It introduces two novel voting mechanisms aimed at electing the least polarizing candidate and analyzes how voting policies affect election results.

## Key findings

- Different voting policies can change the elected candidate.
- Proposed mechanisms aim to reduce polarization in elections.
- Analysis of trade-offs between various voting mechanisms.

## Abstract

In almost every election cycle, the validity of the United States Electoral College is brought into question. The 2016 Presidential Election again brought up the issue of a candidate winning the popular vote but not winning the Electoral College, with Hillary Clinton receiving close to three million more votes than Donald Trump. However, did the popular vote actually determine the most liked candidate in the election? In this paper, we demonstrate that different voting policies can alter which candidate is elected. Additionally, we explore the trade-offs between each of these mechanisms. Finally, we introduce two novel mechanisms with the intent of electing the least polarizing candidate.