# Compartmental voter model

## TL;DR

This paper introduces a simple agent-based model for opinion dynamics that accounts for heterogeneity across electoral units by allowing agents to change units, successfully replicating empirical rank-size distributions.

## Contribution

The paper presents a novel agent-based model that incorporates agent mobility between electoral units to better match observed opinion heterogeneity.

## Key findings

- Model reproduces empirical rank-size distributions.
- Agents can change electoral units, capturing heterogeneity.
- Model aligns with real-world opinion distribution data.

## Abstract

Numerous models in opinion dynamics focus on the temporal dynamics within a single electoral unit (e.g., country). The empirical observations, on the other hand, are often made across multiple electoral units (e.g., polling stations) at a single point in time (e.g., elections). Aggregates of these observations, while quite useful in many applications, neglect the underlying heterogeneity in opinions. To address this issue we build a simple agent-based model in which all agents have fixed opinions, but are able to change their electoral units. We demonstrate that this model is able to generate rank-size distributions consistent with the empirical data.