ABSTRACT
This introductory chapter presents the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book explains the initial variation and subsequent dynamics in an effort to shed light on the broader question of why democratic countries vary in the extent to which voting is accessible to all citizens. The study of election administration speaks to enduring normative concerns of equality and democracy. Polling stations may also be relocated at the last minute to confuse voters, a trick used historically in the United States. In El Salvador, administrative barriers to voter participation were initially similar to those in Guatemala, including onerous voter registration and identification requirements, and centralized and inaccessible polling places. The key influences on election administration practices in the cases under study include historical experiences with election fraud, partisan interests and the nature of the party system, electoral management body (EMB) institutional design, international political pressures, and international electoral assistance.
