Understanding Our Markov Chain Significance Test: A Reply to Cho and Rubinstein-Salzedo. Issue 1 (1st January 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chikina, Maria; Frieze, Alan; Pegden, Wesley
• Is Part Of: Statistics and public policy. Volume 6:Issue 1(2019)
• Page Start: 50
• Page End: 53
• Publication Date: 2019-01-01
• Subjects: Gerrymandering -- Markov chain -- Redistricting; Policy sciences -- Methodology -- Periodicals; Social sciences -- Statistical methods -- Periodicals; Medical statistics -- Methodology -- Periodicals; Statistics -- Periodicals; Medical statistics -- Methodology; Policy sciences -- Methodology; Social sciences -- Statistical methods; Statistics; Periodicals; 320.60727
• DOI: 10.1080/2330443X.2019.1615396
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2330-443X

Abstract

Abstract: The article of Cho and Rubinstein-Salzedo seeks to cast doubt on our previous paper, which described a rigorous statistical test which can be applied to reversible Markov chains. In particular, Cho and Rubinstein-Salzedo seem to suggest that the test we describe might not be a reliable indicator of gerrymandering, when the test is applied to certain redistricting Markov chains. However, the examples constructed by Cho and Rubinstein-Salzedo in fact demonstrate a different point: that our test is not the same as another class of gerrymandering tests, which Cho and Rubinstein-Salzedo prefer. But we agree and emphasized this very distinction in our original paper. In this reply, we reply to the criticisms of Cho and Rubinstein-Salzedo, and discuss, more generally, the advantages of the various tests available in the context of detecting gerrymandering of political districtings.