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.