No subject is more central to the study of politics than elections. All across the globe, elections are a focal point for citizens, the media, and politicians long before - and sometimes long after - they occur. Electoral systems, the rules about how voters' preferences are translated into election results, profoundly shape not only the results of individual elections but also many other important political outcomes including party systems, candidate selection, and policy choices. Electoral systems have been a hot topic in established democracies from the United Kingdom and Italy to New Zealand and Japan. Even in the United States, events like the 2016 presidential election and court decisions such as Citizens United have sparked advocates to promote change in the Electoral College, redistricting, and campaign finance rules.