The Mathematics of Apportionment in U.S. Presidential Primaries and the General Election
Michael A. Jones
Associate Editor
Mathematical Reviews
Apportionment is a mathematical way to round integers proportionally. Although well known to determine how many seats each state receives in the U.S. House of Representatives, apportionment methods are also used in the U.S. presidential primaries and the general election. We'll examine the geometry of two types of paradoxical behavior that may occur in these settings, using real data when appropriate. We'll also touch on some recent proposed laws and how they would affect the paradoxical behavior.