The International Encyclopedia of Elections is the first and only definitive work to survey elections in independent nations and describe the varied systems and processes in clear language understandable to any interested reader. The encyclopedia will be most useful to undergraduate and graduate students, journalists, political activists, and scholars seeking information outside their specialties or their own countries.Written in clear, concise language by 70 international scholars in the field, the volume contains more than 150 articles (from Absentee Voting to Women: Enfranchisement) ranging in length from a few hundred to several thousand words. The encyclopedia covers each of the more than 170 countries that have held direct elections or national referendums in this decade. The International Encyclopedia of Elections also features: -- Definitions of terms -- Explanations of relevance in the electoral process -- Important geographical and historical examples -- Problems and solutions in different areas of election analysis. The alphabetical presentation of entries, plus a detailed index of the full contents, points readers quickly to the information they need. Detailed Appendix Makes Comparisons Easy The International Encyclopedia of Elections includes a detailed appendix that gives the chief features of electoral systems in nations throughout the world. The tabular presentation allows quick answers to such questions as voting age, compulsory voting or not, ballot form, number of elected seats, and type of contest (proportional, representative, or winner take all). The International Encyclopedia of Elections will be used by students and scholars for years tocome as more nations turn to democratic elections.