The electoral college is arguably the most important but least understood factor that determines the President of the United States. This book brings together the ideas of today's most prominent supporters, critics, and opponents of the electoral college. Along with critical documents that provide historical background and demonstrate the evolution of debates over the legitimacy of this American institution, Judith Best and Thomas E. Cronin together with the testimony of Lawrence D. Longley, analyze the electoral college from a variety of perspectives and propose a wide range of alternatives, from maintaining the status quo to imposing radical reform. Among the issues addressed by these essays and documents is the fate of third parties in presidential elections.
