McIntee gives a comprehensive critique of the Electoral College that includes a consideration of its mathematical failings.

McIntee observes that the Electoral College is not only “peculiar,” but also “immensely unpopular,” and yet it has managed to endure as an American institution since the nation’s inception. Its longevity seems partly due to a mythology that has enshrouded it, a set of misconceptions the author swiftly but rigorously dismantles. This baroque system was not, despite insistence to the contrary, created to protect the representative power of smaller states or rural parts of the country, nor does it do so. Nor was it designed in order to enshrine slavery or to discourage the popular vote. Rather, it was the result of confusion regarding the nature of democracy, more specifically who gets to vote and how. Yet according to McIntee, the Electoral College is ineffective and obsolete—it is unacceptably chaotic, often undermines democratic representation and proportionality, and does not encourage candidates to aim for politically or regionally broad appeal: These are all issues McIntee handles with clarity. Also, he furnishes a remarkably concise history of the Electoral College and its shifting permutations. The author is especially astute when appraising the Electoral College’s “basic mathematical properties” (he is a mathematician by training). Further, this is a genuinely thoughtful study and not a political polemic: “The fact is that we don’t actually know what is the best way to elect a president....We don’t honestly know how American voters will behave either in the short term or the long term when faced with an entirely different voting system.” The only failing of this otherwise edifying work is its neglect of deeper philosophical arguments in favor of the Electoral College and pertaining to the nature of federal republicanism—one can see this in his lack of serious analysis of the Federalist Papers. Nevertheless, this book remains a vital contribution to an important national debate.

An analytically incisive account of the Electoral College’s foibles.

Perhaps in no other time in American history is Graduating from the Electoral College so necessary. This is because the events of the last five years have swirled around misunderstandings and disinformation about how the Electoral College works, its purpose, and how and why it has vastly strayed from its original intentions.

Tomas J. McIntee provides a reasoned, timely history of the concept behind the Electoral College and its changes through the decades under various administrations, from Washington and Jefferson through the Civil War and beyond.

Present-day events aren't the only time the Electoral College has been challenged. From 1876 accusations of fraud to the transition years of the 1960s and 70s, McIntee surveys major challenges to and influences upon the Electoral College which both refined its operations and intentions and decreased its democratic principles.

This background history leads up to perhaps the most important discussion in this book and modern times: the historic and calculated balance of power in the institution, and questions of large and small state representation in the political process.

To say that Graduating from the Electoral College is key to understanding the American democratic process is an understatement. This is the book that should be assigned reading from high school upwards, required background reading for any educated voter who wants to enter the modern fray of controversial discussions with more than innuendo and vague notions of the College's history, intentions, and relevance to the power struggles that affect this nation.

Graduating from the Electoral College concludes this survey with a review of the College's quirks, detriments, and methods to abolish the flawed system entirely. The analysis of numerous flaws in the system, from minor to major, pinpoints exactly how it has strayed far from the baseline of fairness and efficiency.

When is the best time to fix this? There have been pivot points during this process in the past, which points to today as being another historically good time to reassess the Electoral College entirely: "The best time to fix the Electoral College and replace it with a better system was at the Constitutional Convention in 1787. The second-best time was in 1788 after the first presidential election had finished. The third-best time to start rolling out a replacement was in 1789 when the Bill of Rights was written up. When this book goes into press, it will be the 236th best year to move forward with abolishing the Electoral College."

With its reasoned and fact-cemented history, its survey of social and political issues that have battered and shaped the Electoral College from its birth, and the questions that surround its operations today, it's easy to recommend Graduating from the Electoral College for not only any library strong in democratic history and examination, but for discussion groups. A wide audience can use it to consider the Electoral College's relevance today, supporting the argument that indicates a final graduation is in order.