- 1953 The People's Republic of China promulgated its first Electoral Law.

- 1979 The Electoral Law was completely revised, stipulating that each rural deputy to the National People's Congress represents a population eight times that of an urban deputy, while the difference is 5:1 at provincial level and 4:1 at county level.

- 1982 An amendment was adopted, requiring political parties, people's organizations and voters that have nominated candidates for people's congress deputies to brief voters on those candidates at group meetings of voters.

- 1986 An amendment was adopted, allowing a joint group of at least 10 voters or people's congress deputies to recommend candidates and stipulating that the number of candidates for deputies to be directly elected by the voters shall be from one third to 100 percent greater than the number of deputies to be elected.

- 1995 An amendment was adopted, fixing the ratio of rural to urban population for electing a people's congress deputy to 4:1.

- 2004 An amendment was adopted, introducing preliminary elections in direct elections.

- 2010 The Electoral Law was revised again, granting an equal representation ratio for rural and urban residents.