In any country, the logistics capacity and the availability of skilled human resources may constrain the available options for electoral system choice, as may the amount of money available. Even when donor funding is available, issues of the long-term sustainability of electoral system choice are important. This does not, however, mean that the most straightforward and least expensive system is always the best choice. It may well be a false economy, as a dysfunctional electoral system can have a negative impact on a country’s entire political system and on its democratic stability. Any choice of electoral system has a wide range of administrative consequences, including those addressed in the following files.

Sub-sections of this chapter:

• Electoral Systems and the Drawing of Electoral Boundaries
• Electoral Systems and the Registration of Voters
• Electoral Systems and the Design and Production of Ballot Papers
• Electoral Systems and Voter Education
• Electoral Systems and Number of Polling Days
• Electoral Systems and By-Elections
• Electoral Systems and the Count
• Cost and Administrative Implications - Conclusions