View source for User:Cymru/Independence of correlated candidates criterion

The '''Independence of Correlated Candidates criterion''' was devised in 2005 by Thomas Smith.  It was inspired by the inadequate definition of the [[independence of clones]] criterion which does not properly address rated voting systems and presumes that correlated candidates are identical or very similar to each other.
 
Correlated candidates are a group of candidates that are supportively ranked or rated in adjacent or equal positions, on every cast ballot.  This definition excludes candidates who are differentiated by disapproval or 0 rating from being correlated with those given supportive ranking or rating.

A voting method is said to be independent of correlated candidates if the addition or removal of a correlated candidate from a particular set of correlated candidates in the tally, would only change the winner to another member of the set, if the original winner was a member of that set.

Independence of correlated candidates is a weakened form of the [[independence of irrelevant alternatives]] criterion.