votes = @election.votes unless votes
defeats = Array.new
+ candidates = [candidates] unless candidates.class == Array
candidates.each do |candidate|
candidates.each do |challenger|
next if candidate == challenger
# see the array with the standard defeats
transitive_defeats = self.defeats(candidates, votes)
+ candidates = [candidates] unless candidates.class == Array
candidates.each do |cand1|
candidates.each do |cand2|
candidates.each do |cand3|