Choosing a President: The Electoral College and Beyond

"Choosing a President" evaluates the Electoral College system and six legitimate alternatives to it. A team of 37 political scientists consider the fundamental questions that go to the heart of the debate. On the basis of these deliberations, each contributor indicates the extent to which he or she supports or opposes the Electoral College and its alternatives. This title features: discussion on how the Electoral College was created, evolved, and currently works, providing fundamental historical and political knowledge; and a systematic account of current alternatives to the Electoral College offering three reforms and three possible replacements. It demonstrates two modes of political analysis: evaluating institutions and reforms according to their logical consistency with desired criteria, and evaluating institutions and reforms according to their (likely) consequences and implications. It helps improve students' understanding of political analysis.