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Application of Benford–Newcomb law with base change to electoral fraud detection

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  • Gueron, Eduardo
  • Pellegrini, Jerônimo

Abstract

The invariance of Benford–Newcomb law under base changing is employed to test whether or not some data follow such distribution. Taking into account the Brazilian senate election in 1994, changes in the numerical base were able to evidence probable fraud.

Suggested Citation

  • Gueron, Eduardo & Pellegrini, Jerônimo, 2022. "Application of Benford–Newcomb law with base change to electoral fraud detection," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 607(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:phsmap:v:607:y:2022:i:c:s037843712200766x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.physa.2022.128208
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Frank Benford, 2021. "Base Dependence of Benford Random Variables," Stats, MDPI, vol. 4(3), pages 1-17, July.
    2. Deckert, Joseph & Myagkov, Mikhail & Ordeshook, Peter C., 2011. "Benford's Law and the Detection of Election Fraud," Political Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 19(3), pages 245-268, July.
    3. Schatte, P., 1998. "On Benford's law to variable base," Statistics & Probability Letters, Elsevier, vol. 37(4), pages 391-397, March.
    4. Steven J. Miller, 2015. "Benford's Law: Theory and Applications," Economics Books, Princeton University Press, edition 1, number 10527.
    5. Boudewijn F. Roukema, 2014. "A first-digit anomaly in the 2009 Iranian presidential election," Journal of Applied Statistics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(1), pages 164-199, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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