Resource distribution brute-force algorithm in Python

resdist.py

from itertools import permutations
import yaml
import sys

#votes = {'a': ['cheese', 'hats', 'faces'],
#         'b': ['hats', 'cheese', 'faces'],
#         'c': ['hats', 'faces', 'cheese']}

votes = {'a': 'CHWESK',
         'b': 'CESWHK',
         'c': 'HCWSEK',
         'd': 'SKEWHC',
         'e': 'CHEWSK',
         'f': 'EHWCSK'}

def brute(votes, utilitarianism=2):
    ballots = list(votes.values())
    if not ballots:
        return {}
    def cost(permutation):
        return sum((ballot.index(choice) - 1) ** utilitarianism
                     for choice, ballot in zip(permutation, ballots))
    selection = min(permutations(sorted(ballots[0])),
                    key=cost)
    return dict(zip(votes.keys(), selection))

yaml.dump(brute(votes, utilitarianism=3), sys.stdout, default_flow_style=False)