WINNER-TAKES-ALL

A debut political book explores the undemocratic nature of the Electoral College.

Dedicating his volume to “all voters,” Moyer provides readers with “a nonpartisan discussion of how elections for presidential electors work.” In 23 short chapters and in under 130 pages, this work surveys the origins of the Electoral College and the ways in which it has historically served to obfuscate the will of the voters. Much of the book’s focus is on the theoretical implications of the system, including the oft-discussed power imbalance, where small states have disproportionate electoral representation over more populous ones. Some chapters, though, provide enlightening vignettes that, for example, compare United States elections to those in East Germany and explore outlier states like Nebraska and Maine that use a presidential elector districting system. Ultimately, Moyer concludes in his convincing analysis, the Electoral College system represents a “democracy denied,” as it has been utilized in a way that leaves “voters with as few choices as possible to maximize the power of the two major political parties at the expense of voters.” Moreover, not only are third party and independent candidates denied meaningful opportunities, but the ballots also often obscure the fact that most people are not directly voting for a presidential candidate but are instead backing a slate of unknown electors. Accompanied by over three dozen charts, graphs, timelines, and other visual aids, and written in a style that is accessible to average voters who may not be aware of the intricacies of U.S. elections, this book delivers an engaging appraisal. Most useful is its inclusion of sample ballots across American history that demonstrate the ways they were constructed to mislead voters. Ample appendix materials provide additional evidence that complements Moyer’s argument that “we are not having a free and fair election.” And while the volume’s subtitle is a bit misleading, as the work is far from a comprehensive “History of the Electoral College,” it more than succeeds in its goal of presenting readers with a convincing case against the current system.

A concise and persuasive indictment of the Electoral College.