This paper will present a new theory of how electoral processes evolve over time in developing democracies. Specifically it will argue that relatively high levels of electoral integrity are achieved (where they are achieved) through a gradual process of political development that results from successive crises of legitimacy followed by institutional reforms. This one-step-back-two-steps-forward rhythm results when popular discontent with politics is mobilized around demands for institutional reforms to electoral systems broadly understood. The paper will further argue that there is nothing inevitable about the gradual move toward electoral integrity, and it will seek to identify the conditions under which such an evolution is most likely to occur. The theory developed will be tested via a mixed-methods approach combining large-N pooled cross-sectional time series analysis with selected case studies.
