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Semantics, Representations & RNG

Several parts of DemocracySim only make sense if the underlying conventions are kept fixed: what a recorded step means, how orderings and score vectors are represented, and how seeded randomness is split across the simulation. The points below are the compact description for those conventions.

Step Semantics

Recorded step t is the election-time state. In other words, the system logs the state on which the election at step t is evaluated, not a later post-mutation state.

The execution order is:

  1. Scheduler advances to t.
  2. Mutation from election t-1 is applied (for t > 1).
  3. Elections/rewards/learning for t run.
  4. Step-level data is collected and logged.

Units

The main plotted summary series use these units:

  • Turnout is stored in percent (0..100).
  • Gini-based inequality metrics are stored on a percent-like scale (0..100).

Representation Conventions

The main internal object types are:

  • Ordering: permutation of option IDs (0..n-1).
  • Distribution: non-negative vector summing to 1.
  • ScoreVector: finite 1D vector in [0,1].

Tie Handling

Decision-critical tie breaks use seeded RNG. For a fixed seed, the same tie cases reproduce the same outcomes.

RNG Policy

  • run_seed = base_seed + run_id.
  • Core simulation RNG is deterministic for fixed config/seed.
  • Participation and voting paths are isolated to avoid accidental coupling.