Why the Electoral College Is Bad for America

A distinguished political scientist critiques arguments in favor of the electoral college and offers a persuasive argument for direct election of the president.
"[With] excellent descriptions of how the electoral system actually works, [this] is the most cogent and up-todate criticism I have read."--Alexander Keyssar, "New York Review of Books
"This crisp handbook . . . outlines the origins of the electoral college . . . and demonstrates the many ways it violates democratic norms.""--New Yorker
"Timely [and] relevant. . . . [Edwards's] principal lines of argument deserve extensive debate in both the news media and the Congress."--Lewis H. Lapham, "Harper's
"Compelling . . . [and] meticulous."--Glenn C. Altschuler, "New York Observer