Until recently electoral systems have usually proved remarkably resili
ent to radical reform. Yet in the last decade this pattern has been br
oken in a number of established democracies. The emergence of newer de
mocracies has also generated a resurgence of interest in what criteria
should be used in the choice of an electoral system. Given these deve
lopments, the aim of this article is to outline the main variants in d
ifferent types of electoral system; to consider the normative criteria
underpinning debates about reform; and to evaluate the relevant stand
ards for choosing an electoral system. The article compares legislativ
e elections in 53 democracies, including countries at different level
of economic and political development, in order to examine the effects
of electoral systems under a wide variety of conditions.