Across the world, nearly all political systems—even those that experts consider authoritarian—rely on voting and elections to legitimate leaders and the public policies that government enacts. What properties should a fair electoral system have? How can we measure and achieve free and fair elections? How have systems of voting and elections changed over time in response to social and economic upheaval? This course addresses these questions as students compare different election systems, evaluate their strengths, weaknesses, and abuses, and design improvements to current structures. Topics may include representation, responsiveness, gerrymandering, disenfranchisement, voter suppression, election fraud, polling, vote buying, and reforms such as ranked choice voting. The course will involve a blend of mathematical analysis, historical context, and political theory.