This year, a dizzyingly diverse array of countries—from the most populous (India), to one of the least (Palau)—will hold national elections. Some will be fully in the global limelight, such as those in Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Many others will attract relatively little international attention, even though they will be of great importance to their citizens and neighbors. In some, the outcomes are already predictable; for others, uncertainty prevails.
