Networks maximizing the consensus time of voter models

Abstract: We explore the networks that yield the largest mean consensus time of voter models under different update rules. By analytical and numerical means, we show that the so-called lollipop graph, barbell graph, and double star graph maximise the mean consensus time under the update rules called the link dynamics, voter model, and invasion process, respectively. For each update rule, the largest mean consensus time scales as O(N^3), where N is the number of nodes in the network.