Chair

Background

Objectives

Focuses on the broad topics of electoral systems and representation. Elections are often viewed as the hallmark of democracy, and the electoral system and the kind or representation that results from it are at the heart of this process. Yet electoral systems come in many different forms, varying in frequency, the office at stake, proportionality of representation, ballot form and so on.

Moreover, the rise of many new democracies, along with major changes in the election systems of existing democracies (such as Italy, Japan and New Zealand), have made it very difficult for anyone to maintain a degree of familiarity with electoral systems worldwide.