Why Electoral Integrity Matters

This book is the first in a planned trilogy by Pippa Norris on challenges of electoral integrity to be published by Cambridge University Press. Unfortunately too often elections around the globe are deeply flawed or even fail. Why does this matter? It is widely suspected that such contests will undermine confidence in elected authorities, damage voting turnout, trigger protests, exacerbate conflict, and occasionally lead to regime change. Well-run elections, by themselves, are insufficient for successful transitions to democracy. But flawed, or even failed, contests are thought to wreck fragile progress. Is there good evidence for these claims? Under what circumstances do failed elections undermine legitimacy? With a global perspective, using new sources of data for mass and elite evidence, this book provides fresh insights into these major issues.

Part I. Introduction: 1. Theories why electoral integrity matters; 2. Concepts; 3. Evidence; Part II. The Problem of Flawed Elections: 4. International concern about electoral integrity; 5. Public perceptions of electoral integrity; Part III. The Consequences of Electoral Integrity: 6. For legitimacy; 7. For political behavior; 8. For conflict and security; 9. For regimes; Part IV. Conclusions: 10. Conclusions: strengthening electoral integrity.

Pippa Norris is the McGuire Lecturer in Comparative Politics at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, and Laureate Fellow and Professor of Government and International Relations at Sydney University. She directs the Electoral Integrity Project (www.electoralintegrityproject.com). Her work compares democracy and democratization, elections and public opinion, gender politics, and political communications. Recent companion volumes by this award-winning author, also published by Cambridge University Press, include Driving Democracy (2008), Cosmopolitan Communications (2009), Democratic Deficit (2011), and Making Democratic Governance Work (2012). In 2011, she was awarded the Skytte Prize and the Kathleen Fitzpatrick Australian Laureate. In 2014, she was awarded the Karl Deutsch Award by the International Political Science Association.