SAMUELS, David <br/><br/>
The value of a vote :  malapportionment in comparative perspective 

 -  2001 
<br/><br/> Comparative studies of electoral institutions have largely neglected a fundamental characteristic of most of the world`s electoral systems: malapportionement. This article provides a metodho for mearuring malapportionment in different types of electoral systems, calculates levels of malapportionment in seventy-eight countries, and employs statiscial analysis to explore the  correlates of malapportionment in both upper and lower chambers. The analysis shows that the use of single-member districts is associated with higher levels of malapportionment in lower chamber. Furthermore, African and especialy Latin American countries tend to have electoral  systems that are highly malapportioned. The article concludes by proposing a broad, compartive research agenda that focuses on the origins, evolution and consequences of malapportionment