Election is a device for making decisions without assembling everyone. Representation is the relationship that device creates: the representative acts for the represented, and the represented accepts the result as if it were their own decision.
| Form | How it works | Strength / weakness |
|---|---|---|
| Territorial (first past the post) | The candidate with most votes in a constituency wins | Clear local accountability; a party can win a majority of seats on a minority of votes |
| Proportional | Seats are allocated in proportion to votes, usually from a party list | Fairer between parties; weak link to a constituency |
| Mixed member | Both systems used together — Nepal's federal and provincial elections | Balances accountability and proportionality; depends on the threshold and the list rules |