Why the Electoral College Is Bad for America

George C. Edwards III is Distinguished Fellow at the University of Oxford and University Distinguished Professor of Political Science and Jordan Chair in Presidential Studies Emeritus at Texas A & M University. He is a senior figure in the study of the presidency and has written or edited twenty-seven books. He was also editor of Presidential Studies Quarterly and general editor of the Oxford Handbook of American Politics. He was a founder and served as president of the Presidency and Executive Politics Section of the American Political Science Association and has held senior appointments at Oxford, the University of London, Sciences Po-Paris, Peking University, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and the US Military Academy at West Point.

'The most recent election and its sordid aftermath have only strengthened George Edwards' powerful critique of the Electoral College as a device for selecting presidents. Deftly dismantling the arguments offered by its defenders, Edwards makes a persuasive case that electing presidents by popular vote is not only more democratic but also an eminently workable step toward a healthier national polity. Readers will come away ready to amend the Constitution.' Gary Jacobson, Distinguished Emeritus Professor of Political Science, University of California San Diego

• 1. Raising Questions; 2. How the Electoral College Works; 3. The Electoral College and Political Equality; 4. Contingent Elections; 5. The Origins of the Electoral College; 6. Protecting Interests; 7. Maintaining Cohesion; 8. Preserving the Party System; 9. Conclusion.