# Criteria for “Populist” Badge

Highest scoring answer that outscored an accepted answer with score of more than 10 by more than 2x. This badge can be awarded multiple times.

This is what is written in badge info which confused me a bit.

Do one have to earn $2x+10$ votes on a answer where the accepted answer has got $x$ votes? Please Explain.

• I think it means you have to get more than $2x$, and $x$ has to be more than $10$. – Gerry Myerson Apr 16 '13 at 13:26
• exploringnet, why did you add back the dollar signs in the title? They serve no purpose here. – J. M. is a poor mathematician Apr 17 '13 at 6:55

On a given question, once there is someone with an answer that meets the following criteria:

• it is accepted
• it has 10 or more votes

the other answerers now have the opportunity to win the Populist badge, by having their answer voted to twice the score of the accepted answer, or more.

• At least twice the score or strictly more than twice the score? – Andrew Uzzell Apr 16 '13 at 13:35
• I'm reasonably sure it's "at least" (that is, exactly twice still wins it). – Zev Chonoles Apr 16 '13 at 13:37
• We can run an experiment on this page; someone else add an answer, and we just ask people to keep the votes exactly 20:10, then see if the badge is given (by waiting a day); then try to upvote to 21:10 and see; then 22:11 and then 23:11. One of these must work. – Asaf Karagila Apr 16 '13 at 13:59
• @AsafKaragila: I have just upvoted this answer from 53 t0 54 whereas the accepted answer has 27. My guess is that the badge is limited to once per question, but we'll see if N.S. gets another Populist badge (which I doubt). Note that I think the answer definitely deserves the upvote. – robjohn Apr 16 '13 at 15:04
• @robjohn: You should lock that thread so no one will screw up with the votes until tomorrow! :-P – Asaf Karagila Apr 16 '13 at 15:07
• @AsafKaragila: I have locked the answers, and left a note saying that if either of the authors want, I will remove the locks. – robjohn Apr 16 '13 at 15:31
• @robjohn: Oh, that was a joke. But sure. :-) – Asaf Karagila Apr 16 '13 at 15:31
• @AsafKaragila: just remind me to unlock them tomorrow :-) – robjohn Apr 16 '13 at 15:33
• @robjohn: Perhaps unlock it already, math.stackexchange.com/badges/39/populist?userid=9176 I doubt the badge can be re-given to the same user on the same question. – Asaf Karagila Apr 16 '13 at 15:37
• @robjohn: On the other hand, I don't think any of the answerers on math.stackexchange.com/questions/268726 got Populist badges. Try upvoting Alan's answer and we'll see what happens (it is also the case of 22:11, as long as my answer is not upvoted, feel free to lock it for a day or two...) – Asaf Karagila Apr 16 '13 at 15:52
• @AsafKaragila: good test case. I am sure I will hear something if I forget to unlock it ;-) – robjohn Apr 16 '13 at 16:19
• @robjohn: amWhy just received the Populist badge, so it's an immediate gold badge; but no one else did. So perhaps there is a one badge per thread limit. Either way we proved it has to be $+11$ on the accepted answer, or higher. – Asaf Karagila Apr 16 '13 at 16:23
• @AsafKaragila: that matches what the description says: more than $2\times$. – robjohn Apr 17 '13 at 3:42

Some experiments that me and robjohn ran in the comments to Zev's answer conclude the following:

1. The accepted answer has to have the score of at least 11 points.
2. Only the top voted answer can earn you the Populist badge, so if there are several answers which have twice, or more, points than the accepted only the top one gets the badge.

Open problems:

1. Do you have to have more than twice, or will exactly twice earn you the badge?
2. What happens if several of the answers are tied at the top score (including up/down equality)?
3. Why did they make a fifth Die Hard?
4. What happens if a Populist badge was already given to an answer, and then a new answer comes along and trumps the Populist-winning answer? Is the badge taken, or do the new answer get a badge at all?
• 4. What if the accepted answer has at least 11, another answer has more than twice that and gets the Populist badge, and then a third answer comes along and gets more than the second answer (or even more than twice the second answer)? Does the third answer get a badge in that case? Does the second answer lose a badge when it gets passed by the third? And why did they make a first Die Hard? – Gerry Myerson Apr 16 '13 at 23:11
• @Gerry: Good question; the first Die Hard was great. – Asaf Karagila Apr 16 '13 at 23:12