POLS 222 Who Wins and Why? Electoral Systems in Comparative Perspective
An electoral system is a set of rules governing how voters can express their preferences (ballot structure) and how votes are translated into seats. This course will explore the role of electoral systems in shaping governance, policymaking, party systems, and election outcomes. Students will primarily focus on comparative legislative elections, meaning comparing the design of election systems across the globe, though presidential elections and sub-national United States elections will also be considered. Emphasis will be placed on mastering the basics of different electoral systems, exploring key examples, and using these basics and examples to consider the past, present, and future of electoral reform in the United States.