Why the Electoral College is bad for America

Why the Electoral College is bad for America

George C. Edwards

Book - 2024

"The electoral college is the extraordinarily complex mechanism by which Americans choose their president. Is there any justification for such a system, which may elect the candidate who does not receive the most votes? Today, with two of the last five presidential elections having gone to the popular vote loser and the debacle following the 2020 election, the electoral college's flaws are more apparent than ever. In this fourth edition of the definitive book on the electoral college, George Edwards employs rigorous analysis and systemic data to show how the system violates core democratic principles and does not provide the benefits its advocates claim. With a new chapter focusing on the 2020 election, Edwards addresses justifica...tions for the electoral college that were popular among Trump supporters following the 2016 and 2020 elections. Edwards concludes by offering a straightforward approach to selecting the president that maximizes political equality." --

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Subjects
Electoral college > United States.
Presidents > United States > Election.
Electoral college
Presidents > Election
United States
Published
Cambridge, United Kingdom ; New York, NY : Cambridge University Press 2024.
Language
English
Main Author
George C. Edwards (author)
Edition
Fourth edition
Item Description
Print on demand edition.
Previous edition: New Haven: Yale University Press, 2019.
Physical Description
xii, 266 pages : map ; 23 cm
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages 217-253) and index.
ISBN
9781009426268
9781009426299
  • Raising questions
  • How the Electoral College works
  • The Electoral College and political equality
  • Contingent elections
  • The origins of the Electoral College
  • Protecting interests
  • Maintaining cohesion
  • Preserving the party system
  • Conclusion
Review by Choice Review

Why the Electoral College Is Bad for America argues and provides evidence that the Electoral College--the method, rooted in the Constitution, used for selecting the US president--is undemocratic and does not provide any of its perceived benefits. The work is a timely contribution and refers to recent controversies, such as the 2016 victory by then-President Trump, in which he lost the popular vote yet still won the electoral vote, and to attempts to manipulate the Electoral College after the result of the 2020 election indicated a Biden victory. Edwards (Univ. of Oxford, England, and Texas A&M Univ.) provides a meticulous and interesting history of presidential elections, highlighting a litany of problems that have or almost occurred with the Electoral College. Whether or not readers agree with its premise, the book provides a solid historical background of the Electoral College, including its development and use, and offers a range of possible alternatives. The book is well structured and accessible to general readers, but is strongly recommended for undergraduate and graduate students, especially those studying American political history and the presidency. Summing Up: Highly recommended. General readers through faculty; professionals. --Chad Kinsella, Ball State University

Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.

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