Electoral reform

Electoral reform is a change in electoral systems which alters how public desires are expressed in election results. Reforms can include changes to: Voting systems, such as proportional representation, a two-round system (runoff voting), instant-runoff voting (alternative voting, ranked-choice voting, or preferential voting), Instant Round Robin Voting called Condorcet Voting, range voting, approval voting, citizen initiatives and referendums and recall elections. Vote-counting procedures Rules about political parties, typically changes to election laws Eligibility to vote (including widening of the vote, enfranchisement and extension of suffrage to those of certain age, gender or race/ethnicity previously excluded) How candidates and political parties are able to stand (nomination rules) and how they are able to get their names onto ballots (ballot access) Electoral constituencies and election district borders. This can include consideration of multiple-member districts as opposed to single-member districts. Ballot design and voting equipment. Preferential ballots as used in Single transferable voting necessitate different ballot design compared to X voting under First-past-the-post voting and some other systems. Scrutineering (election monitoring by candidates, political parties, etc.) Safety of voters and election workers Measures against bribery, coercion, and conflicts of interest Financing of candidates' and referendum campaigns Factors which affect the rate of voter participation (voter turnout) Electoral reforms can contribute to democratic backsliding or may be advances toward wider and deeper democracy. In less democratic countries, elections are often demanded by dissidents; therefore the most basic electoral-reform project in such countries is to achieve a transfer of power to a democratically elected government with a minimum of bloodshed, e.g. in South Africa in 1994. This case highlights the complexity of such reform: such projects tend to require changes to national or other constitutions, and to alter balances of power.