Having discussed the process of change in some depth, a word of caution is needed on its possible effects in the immediate future. Because electoral systems have psychological as well as mechanical effects, the long-term effect of changes may take some time to work through. Parties, candidates and voters may take two or even three electoral processes to fully observe and respond to the positive and negative effects of particular changes. The tendency towards mixed systems may accentuate this, as the overall effect on candidates and voters of mixed incentives may be less clear.

Judgement may be necessary as to whether problems in a new or amended electoral system are merely transitional or whether they show that the system is fundamentally flawed and requires urgent amendment or replacement. In Fiji, the 2000 and 2006 coups brought back the debate on the importance of ethnicity in politics. Since the Alternative Vote system used previously brought more division than expected in an already divided society as the Fijian, for the 2014 elections a new Proportional Representation electoral system consisting of a single nationwide district was used in order to promote the participation of more political parties and to achieve more stability.