Modeling and Analysis of the Queue Dynamics in the Nigerian Voting System

Abstract

Protracted voters' waiting time is widely accepted to be a major impediment to voters' turnout at elections. This paper presents a queueing simulation-optimization based methodology for reducing voter waiting time at the polls. In many places, insufficient ballot materials and poll presiding officials, in combination with lengthy voting time and high voters' traffic, have caused long lines and disenfranchised voters who left without voting. Although the underlying simulation model employs a blend of queueing theory, discrete-event simulation, and optimization, the procedure offers a simplistic methodology, to be used by the typically nontechnical election official, without getting him involved in the intricacies and complexities involved in the modeling process. This paper focuses on methods to mitigate voters' waiting time at the polls and reduce the number of disenfranchised voters. Our simulation results can be used in planning a cost- effective election process that will produce expeditious elections. AMS MSC (2010): 60K25; 68M20; 90B22; 90B15; 37M05; 93C65; 91B12.